Things Fall Apart, But Then You Build Again

Chapter 8: Rethinking the Malfoys

Harry arrived in front of great iron gates that seemed to sparkle in the sunlight. Both wings had an ornate letter “M” boldly standing out amidst the twisting metal that composed them. He admired their beauty for a moment and then without taking his cloak off, he passed through the gates. They did not open, but just as Draco promised, he was keyed into the wards and could enter unhindered. The walk to the actual house took a lot longer than he remembered and was a lot more pleasant. He repressed a shudder as old memories threatened to haunt him and fought them off with the present sight. It was a clear day, the sun shined on him with the last warmth of Indian summer as he walked down the path that led to the great Manor. On both sides trees lined the way and he recalled there being a hedge before, but now it was gone. Deer and birds sometimes poked their heads out from the leaves and gazed curiously at him, even though he didn’t take off his invisibility cloak till he could no longer make out the gates in the distance. The trees themselves were a myriad of colours: greens, yellows, reds, browns adorned them signalling the best days of autumn.

As he was nearing the house finally, he saw the albino peacocks he remembered prancing around a manicured lawn and on both sides great white fountains spurted out jets of water. They did not have any statues of people on them, even though he expected something like what he had seen during the war at the Ministry. The decorations on these fountains were just fish and flowers.

Finally, Harry arrived to his destination and gazed up at the great twin doors that led inside. He did not see a knocker or a bell, and was just starting to wonder how he would make his presence known, when they parted before him to reveal Draco standing there.

“Good morning, Harry. Are you just going to gawk at my house all day long, or do you actually intend to come in?” He smirked at the man before him.

Harry flushed and with all the dignity he could muster walked past the blond and into the great marble hall that he remembered. In spite of his memories, the interior of the building looked a lot brighter and more welcoming than on that day over fourteen years ago.

‘With a much better reception too,’ he thought as he looked upon Draco’s smiling face and grinned back at him.

“Good morning to you too, Draco. I was just lost in the memories.”

“Ugh, I hope this time you’ll make much more pleasant ones. Anyway, Hermione is waiting on the eastern veranda with tea.” He walked away, leading the other man around the great home.

“How did you know I was coming?”

“I felt it when you entered the wards. Always the Malfoys keyed into them know when someone passes through the gates, even in your case, when you have permission. You certainly took your time.”

“Yeah. Wasn’t there a hedge around the road before?”

“There was. However, they were made up of ward vines and the Ministry had Father destroy them. They are a sort of a dark plant. I’m glad, though, I just never liked them.”

“I didn’t know plants could be dark,” Harry wondered aloud.

“Not really. However, they had the ability to kill intruders and I guess that sort of qualified them as dark.”

“Well, the walk is a lot more pleasant now,” Harry concluded as they just reached a pair of beautiful French doors and through them arrived to their destination.

There sat Hermione and she was more elegant than ever. The dark-haired man was reminded of how she looked at the Yule ball. She didn’t appear so beautiful even on her wedding day. She wore a pale yellow robe that looked incredibly soft and her hair rested on her left shoulder in effortless, but obviously sculptured waves. She held a delicate cup in her hand with its saucer in the other that Harry felt very uncomfortable about touching himself, as two identical sets rested on the ornate white iron table in front of her, just waiting for the two men.