Carpathian

Monday, 7:02 am

"I used to get up early at Hogwarts to study before everyone else was awake," he stated after a shrug. "Couldn't let my housemates know how hard I was trying to beat you, could I? Now it's just a habit to start off the day with some reading."

Passing pride sprouted inside her, not sure she would ever grow tired of Draco Malfoy freely admitting to her besting him in something, but insatiable curiosity quickly won over.

"Does that mean there's a library on the sanctuary's grounds?"

Draco's snort filled the small space. "I know this may come as a bit of a shock to you, but not every place on earth has a library. After working here long enough, I've compiled my own collection of books." He lifted an eyebrow, arms folding against his bare, scar covered chest. "Would you like to see?"

"Very much," she answered far too quickly, though she doubted her answer was truly necessary.

"Then I expect to see you in my cabin shortly."

She assumed Draco would walk away after that, but instead he kept one hand around the tuck of his towel while he bent down to retrieve her hair tie from the ground.

Close enough for her to smell the spearmint of his toothpaste, he placed it in her palm and folded her fingers around the black elastic. "For what it's worth, I quite liked the plait."

~*~*~

A blue, translucent otter floated mid-air, nodding every few seconds as Hermione concluded her message.

"I apologise for the late notice. I will be back next Monday."

Hermione swirled her wand, causing the otter to do a flip before she cast her Patronus to deliver the message to the Beast Division head. The otter had strict instructions to stay on Rickson's desk until he arrived and heard the full message. While a parchment aeroplane was effective at informing Charlie about her decision to stay, a last minute message all the way to England required more clever spellwork.

With the Ministry informed of her absence, Hermione strode to the opposite side of the circle of cabins and knocked on Draco's door. It opened near immediately, and Hermione stepped inside to where Draco was seated at a table identical to the one in both Hermione and Julia's cabins. He was now properly dressed for the day, back in his typical attire of a black long-sleeved t-shirt and olive trousers. A book sat open on the table's surface, but he closed it the moment she crossed the threshold.

Hermione's mind was too distracted to formulate a response to his greeting. While she had accepted the sparse accommodations for herself, it was different to see Draco Malfoy living in such a simple cabin. The rugged surroundings and humble living quarters blended well with the perception Hermione had always had about Charlie, even before they had become close. Charlie had grown up in the Burrow. He had shared a bedroom with Bill. He knew what it was like to live modestly.

But Draco...

Even Malfoy Manor's garden shed had to be more luxurious than this.

Draco revealed no sign of discomfort. Whereas Julia's cabin had been sparingly decorated, Draco had made his more homely. A painting of a rolling landscape with a dragon soaring across the sky hung beside the table, and, as promised, a collection of books spanned across two different bookshelves that reached the ceiling.

Brushing fingertips stretched out to sweep over the spines. Some of the volumes looked—and undoubtedly were—centuries old. They ranged in topic from magical theory to history to leisurely novels, in addition to the multiple shelves dedicated to dragonology and related dragon keeping needs.

Her browsing stopped short when she reached the framed photograph at the end of one of the shelves. The frame was ornate, the only sign of opulence in the entire cabin. Large embossed flowers filled the thick frame, and Hermione had little doubt that it was Goblin-made. Inside the opening was a photo of Draco with only one other person: his mother. While Hermione would have expected any photo between the Malfoy matriarch and heir to be formal, this one was casual. Narcissa's long blonde hair was fashioned so the front strands of her hair were gathered in a twist, while Draco had the same small bun that he sported at the sanctuary. They were simply dressed as they strolled through what Hermione assumed to be the Malfoy Manor gardens, the semblance of any happy mother-son pair.