Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying Ordeal of Being in Love

Chapter 12: The Tea Party

Granger looked pale but seemed preternaturally calm as she spotted Draco and asked, "Why am I here, again?"

Draco enumerated possibilities on his fingers: "A sudden interest in building bridges. To thank the Malfoys for making the Delacroix ward possible. Because you were personally invited by Narcissa Malfoy and no one says no to her. Because I coerced you. Take your pick."

"Don't flatter yourself – you couldn't coerce me into anything."

"Don't challenge me, or I may decide to prove you wrong."

He and Granger exchanged mutually obstinate looks. However, Draco was more interested in the distinct lack of shaky hands or other trembles that usually marked Granger's anxious states – which today's event ought to have triggered, given the location.

"You've taken a Calming Draught," said Draco.

"Whatever gets me through it," said Granger. "I needn't remind you of what my last sojourn under this roof was like."

"It's hardly the same roof," said Draco, looking up at the grand white arc above them.

"What do you mean? Oh – you said you had rebuilt."

Granger, too, looked up at the grand ceiling. She was quiet for a moment, and then said, "A thought experiment: is it still the same Manor if its original components were all replaced?"

"The Ship of Theseus," said Draco. "Well – Manor of Theseus, I suppose."

Granger turned her attention from the ceiling to him. Her expression flitted from surprised to impressed, then back to neutral. "Precisely."

"Tell me when you've worked it out." Draco held his arm towards the door. "Shall we?"

"No," said Granger, an arm wrapped around her midsection. "I'd rather stay here and discuss the metaphysics of identity."

"Half the guests here today are brains. You can discuss metaphysics to your little heart's content. The Patil twin who teaches at Edinburgh is here."

"Ooh, Padma's here?"

This news spurred Granger on to follow Draco to the door that led to the entrance hall. She paused at the threshold and took a small, fortifying breath. Then she walked into the Manor proper. Draco, glancing behind him, noticed that she was keeping her head down and not looking about at all. Which was a pity, because substantial changes had been made since her last, unfortunate, visit.

"We wanted to be rid of every reminder of the... darker moments in our lives. Of Voldemort's stay here." Draco's comment drew Granger's attention beyond her own feet. "It's changed a bit."

With an effort, Granger forced her gaze up and about. "Oh – it's much... much brighter than I remember."

Encouraged by this success, Draco decided to prattle on about the changes – whatever kept Granger's chin up. It wouldn't do for her to walk into the salon looking terrified.

"We put in some new windows. Well – that skylight was a huge bloody hole from some explosion. But we rather liked the sun being let into the foyer, so we had it glassed up instead of roofed."

They stopped at another large, oddly-shaped window that gave onto the East. "This was a group-cast Bombarda by a bunch of Aurors. Didn't seem worth bricking back up again, not when it let the sunrise in so nicely."

Granger tilted her head, studying the decidedly non-traditional architectural feature. "You know – I rather like it."

"The damage to the serpents and other grotesques led to a rather interesting discovery," said Draco, gesturing to the arch mouldings above them. "We found that they'd been built over angel iconography. I thought it made the place feel like a cathedral, but my mother liked them. She kept the more intact ones."