Ironic Love

Chapter XXVIII: Perfect

~Blaise POV~

It's been just over two weeks since we finished our time at Hogwarts and I've been doing a lot of thinking about the future. When my family passed away they had quite a lot of money and several estates under their name and now that I'm eighteen it all belongs to me. I haven't been back to our family home since before the war and I don't know if I'll ever return there again. However, we do also have a large farmhouse near the beach, only a few miles away from Ginny's house. I haven't been since I was about nine but I'm going to look at it today.

After eating breakfast, me and Draco apparate to the house. As he's never been there before, we do side-along apparition. Once we're stood outside, Draco whistles at the view. A large red brick house stands proudly ahead of us. Flowers and ivy are climbing up the walls and the front garden contains masses of sunflowers and wildflowers. It doesn't look unkempt however, more like it's deliberately supposed to have a wild air about it.

I step through the gate and Draco follows, closing it behind him. We trundle up the stone path and unlock the door, pushing it open slowly. The curtains are all drawn and the only light illuminating the room is spilling in from where we're standing. I stride in and flick my wand at the curtains, causing them to open with a flourish. We look around. We're standing in a large kitchen decorated with red and white patterned tiles. The white marble work surfaces are covered in a thick layer of dust and the cupboards have been invaded by cobwebs. It will certainly need a good deep clean.

We move to the door on the opposite side of the room and open it, finding ourselves in a long hallway with rooms leading off of it on each side. Directly opposite the kitchen is a dining room with huge glass windows displaying a magnificent view of the sea. A long mahogany table sits in the centre of the room and pictures painted by my mother of the sea view line the walls.

There's a pantry next to the kitchen, although it's empty at the moment, and a white tiled bathroom opposite. The door at the end of the corridor opens to reveal a large glass conservatory with all kinds of tropical plants inside. Sweat beads immediately creep onto my forehead from the humidity. The plants seem oddly well kept. A door at the end of the conservatory leads to the garden. We go outside, glad to escape the sweltering heat, and find an elderly man on his knees in the middle of a rose bed. He's plucking weeds out of the soil but immediately stops and looks up at us upon hearing the sound of the door.

"And who might you be?" He asks, seeming rather amused, which throws me off.

"Blaise Zabini. My family owns this house. And you?"

"Ah, you're Salacia's boy. I'm so terribly sorry about what happened to your family. Awful, very awful indeed. Yes, the plants on this land have become like my children and even after I heard what had happened I continued to look after them. I haven't been inside the house though, only the glasshouse."

"I'm getting married in a couple of weeks and planning to make this place my home. You can certainly continue to work here, I'll pay you and everything." I suggest. I understand why he would be reluctant to neglect the garden, it's beautiful and leads right onto the beach.

The man looks delighted with my offer and gives his congratulations on my engagement. After a bit more small talk, me and Draco go back into the house and walk down to the opposing end of the corridor. It doesn't have a door but leads straight into a big living room. Several plush white sofas and armchairs stand around the edge of the room, facing a large ornate fireplace. In the corner of the room a wooden staircase leads up to the second floor. Me and Draco climb the steps and find ourselves on a landing with plush cream-coloured carpet.

The door opposite leads into an extensive bathroom with black marble tiles and a walk in shower. Two sinks sit in front of a mirror and a black marble bathtub stands on clawed gold feet in the centre of the room, overlooking a magnificent view of the beach through the big window. A door from the bathroom leads into the master bedroom which sports a huge bed with a golden frame and black velvet bedding, pillows and curtains. It's incredibly grand and very much my mother's style.