Riddle Me This

Chapter 74

Catherine's POV

"So how do we want to do this?" I asked. "Do we want to go at this like a debate? List pros and cons of both houses and a potential third? Or... do we want to follow your mother to France?"

"As much as I love Mother, I do not want to follow her to France and start from scratch. I'm doing fairly well in my apprenticeship, and starting over would be a waste of my time, as well as yours. And I highly doubt you actually know French." Draco said. I pouted, because he was right. I wasn't raised to know more than English, and Parseltongue was just nature for me. Damn elitists for making Draco so damn smart and attractive.

"So France, and every other country, is out." I said. Draco nodded.

"Not just language barriers being a problem. I may be a Malfoy, and we may be a spineless lot-" I snorted, cutting Draco off and getting a glare. "-I don't want people to think we're fleeing the country for whatever reason. I'm holding my ground, this time." I smiled softly.

"How very Gryffindor of you." I cooed. Draco's eyes narrowed. "So, lists of pros and cons, or debate?" I asked. Draco shrugged.

"Lists are such a RavenClaw way." I nodded.

"You get to make your opening statement then." I said. Draco nodded, before clearing his throat softly.

"I want us to live in the Manor. It's more than big enough to hold all of our friends for longer events, has plenty of activities to entertain, has no muggle neighbors, or any neighbors on that note, and we'd rarely need to lift a finger except for work with the house elves." Draco said diplomatically. I hummed.

"Okay. The Manor is huge, and I got lost my first stay, and my second stay for a week until I remembered where the hell I was going. We won't need all that room if the only people to come over are Pansy, Blaise, and Seamus. Our ideas of entertainment are highly different. Where you can read and brew potions day in and day out for fun, I need more physical stimuli, hence training to be a healer. You remembered that I was bored out of my mind both times I spent extensive times at the Manor, because all that I could do was speak with Narcissa, walk around the gardens, brew potions, and read. I would literally go mad if that was all I was allowed to do on my days off when it was just the two of us. I like having neighbors, it's not as lonely. And as much as I love house elves, I like doing things on my own. Baking is something I used to do with Grandma as a child, and I've picked it back up. Can't bake if the house elves do that for me." I said, giving Draco a straight face. Draco made a face, hesitating slightly, before speaking again.

"You don't get lost in the Manor anymore. With time, I'm sure the others will be able to return to the Manor without having episodes. You won't need too much activity as a Healer, because you'll be working most days as it is anyways. You aren't restricted to the Manor and can leave to spend time with your friends at any time. Muggle neighbors will keep us from freely using magic, and if we decide to have children, it'll inconvenience them to not be able to use it freely, or cause us trouble if there is an incident of accidental magic." Draco countered. I blushed lightly at the thought of having children.

"There is no guarantee that Hermione and Luna will get over the pain they suffered there. Hermione was literally tortured there, and Luna kept captive and her life was held over her father's head. Those sort of things take longer to heal, but also leave scars. Some that are easy to reopen, and it's not fair to force them to heal or push back the feelings of fear and pain to spend an evening with me at my home. We can use magic freely inside the house, hell, Grandma used it the backyard. It's just knowing when to be cautious. And our children would need to learn how to control their magic in public anyways, so having them learn to do it at a young age would actually benefit them instead of hinder them." I stated calmly. "Also, do you know how much dreamless sleep I would need to take?" That through Draco off.