Friends by Chance Lovers by Choice

The Manor

"Draco for the last time get out! I need to finish getting ready and packing." I threw a pillow at the blonde wizard. "Oh I think I'd very much like to stay if you're changing clothes" he smirked. I stalked towards him like I was planning to hit him and he ran, laughing, out of my dorm room. "Alright alright I'll meet you in the common room. Just hurry up we have to leave for the train soon. If you make us miss it again Snape's gonna be livid."

I'm y/n, Y/n y/l/n, and the ferret is Draco Malfoy. We've been friends since the train ride first year but lately we've really started to become close friends. I'm not the best at potions but he's a straight O student, and he's not so great at charms whereas I have a better grade than even Hermione Granger, local know it all. We started to bond more once we realized we both needed each other's help if we were to pass our last year at this school. So here we are, best friends or whatever.

Currently it's the day before Christmas break and everyone is packing to go home for the holidays. I, however, will be spending Christmas with ferret face and his mother this year. My parents were surprisingly cool with it and I'd heard a lot about the famous Malfoy Manor so I was quite excited, but nervous. While I knew Draco's father Lucius was in Azkaban, I was still a bit intimidated by being in his home. Nevertheless, Draco convinced me I'd be fine and that his mother would love me.

Draco obviously cared for his mother very much. I had seen a few pictures of them together in his dorm room and he often talked about her. She was the only person he truly cared about. I was actually quite honored to meet the one person that could turn blondie soft, she must be one special woman.

I quickly finished packing virtually my entire dorm room into a trunk, and hauled it down the stairs. Thankfully I no longer had the trace on me and could do magic outside of school, allowing me to shrink my trunk and carry it to the manor in my pocket rather than lugging it everywhere. I found Draco lounging on one of the many sofas in the Slytherin common room talking to his friends. I waltzed over and plopped down in the middle of them, sighing dramatically.

"Is it time to go yet? I'm ready to get out of this place for a little while" the rest of the group agreed and we gathered our things, heading down to the platform. We had to push through confused first years and those just standing about, but soon we were settled in our normal compartment. Pansy Parkinson and I on one side, Draco and Blaise on the other. The rest of our group had split up to go find their own compartments and we were left alone to talk to each other for the long train ride.

"So y/n, excited to spend the holidays at THE Malfoy Manor?" Pansy teased, "yeah it'll be fun. If I don't get lost in that massive house" I mumbled the last part. "Oh don't worry y/n. Either my mother or myself will find you eventually. After a week or so we'll start missing your voice." "Oh you'd miss my voice now would you ferret face?" I pouted at him as he furrowed his brows in annoyance. "Must you call me that? I don't even look like a ferret! Do I?" Blaise and Pansy kind of snickered and hid their mouths behind their hands to avoid answering. "Guys!" Draco whined.

The rest of the train ride was spent just like that. All four of us bickering back and forth as usual. Our entire friendship was based on annoying each other. Finally, we arrived in King's Cross Station and we all piled out onto the platform. Pansy was the first to find her parents and Blaise soon after. Draco and I hung out away from the crowd while we waited on his mother to come pick us up.

It wasn't long before Draco spotted her and started walking, leaving me to trail along behind him and try not to get lost in the chaos. Once we got close enough Draco embraced his mother in a warm hug and started telling her how he'd been the past semester. "Oh this is y/n mother. Y/n y/l/n." Narcissa looked over at me and smiled warmly and I was taken aback by her beauty. I had seen the photos Draco had shown me but they didn't compare to the real thing. She was wearing a simple black dress and heels but somehow made it look like a formal event. Her big brown eyes sparkled in the sun, and her lips.. 'alright stop it y/n. That's Draco's mother your gawking at' I thought to myself. "It is very nice to meet you y/n. Draco has told me all about you" Merlin even her voice was perfection. 'This is going to be interesting'.

After the greetings, she took the both of us out of the crowd of witches and wizards to someplace she could apparate the three of us home. We each took one of her hands and she spun on the spot, taking us away from the train station.

I had only apparated a couple of times before and almost fell over when we landed. However, Narcissa caught me before I could hit the ground and I could feel heat in my face at her touch. "That's quite alright dear. You'll get the hang of it soon enough" she giggled at my flustered expression making me blush ever harder. 'This woman is going to be the death of me'.

The three of us begin walking towards the manor and I couldn't help but stare at the enormous mansion before me. It was like nothing I had ever seen before. I had only seen places like these in movies, never had I actually been inside one. Once inside I was even more amazed. Everything was neat and clean, not a hair out of place. It was also quite cold I noticed. 'No wonder Draco hates the heat so much'. Narcissa walked us upstairs and once Draco had gone into his room to place his trunk inside, she took my hand and started walking farther down the hall. Her touch once again made my stomach flutter but I tried to keep my cool. "This will be your room dear. It isn't much but I hope it's comfortable enough" she smiled and folded her hands in front of her as I walked into the room to look around.

It was absolutely massive with a queen sized bed in the middle up against the wall, a fireplace with my own set of furniture in front of it, my own personal bathroom, and a window seat beside the bed. "It's absolutely wonderful Mrs. Malfoy. Thank you for allowing me to stay with you over the holidays" I bowed my head towards her still not completely comfortable in her presence. "I wouldn't have it any other way my dear. And please, call me Narcissa. Mrs. Malfoy makes me feel old" she laughed. 'I could definitely get used to that sound'.

She left to let me settle in after informing me dinner would be ready shortly. I placed my trunk at the foot of my bed and regrew it, taking out a few things: shower stuff, pajamas for later, the book I was currently obsessed with, and a pillow that smelled like home. I threw everything on the bed to deal with later and sat down on the window seat to wait. It overlooked a massive garden which I figured was Narcissa's doing. I could definitely see her tending the many different types of flowers out there. I also noticed a small bench underneath my window and knew I'd end up sitting out there at some point.

It wasn't long before dinner was ready and Draco was showing me to the kitchen where his mother was already seated. They had a formal dining room but preferred the kitchen table when it was just the two, or in this case three, of us. The food was absolutely delicious. The house elves here cooked just as well as the ones at school did and that was saying something. Every now and then I would be engaged in conversation but for the most part just listened to Draco and Narcissa's small talk about school and the plans for the holidays.

Once I was finished with dinner I bid the two of them goodnight and headed upstairs to see if I could find my room again. Surprisingly I only made one wrong turn and was soon back where I was supposed to be. I took a long shower, reveling in the hot water. There were three shower heads, one on either side of the walls, and one above me, all of which I could adjust pressure and temperature separately. 'I could most definitely get used to this' I thought. Eventually I had to get out and I dressed quickly to avoid the cold air and got in bed to read for a bit before going to sleep.

I was beginning to nod off when I heard a soft knock at the door. "It's open", I called. In walked Narcissa. "I just wanted to make sure you were settled for the night y/n. Although it seems you're pretty much already asleep". "Yes I'm quite tired. I haven't slept properly in weeks due to midterms. I'm more than ready for a decent night's sleep." I placed my book on the bedside table and turned out the light as she left. 'This is gonna be a good Christmas'.