Domestic Wizardry (Dramione)

Chapter 3: Getting Settled

"Yes, they ran off to the dining room to get the table set."

"Ah." He looked down at the bags of food, "Granger– I know this house holds a lot of painful memories for you-"

"It's fine. Really Malfoy." She laid her hand on his arm stopping him. And surprisingly it was. The softly undulating magic from the house itself made her feel accepted and welcome.

Draco's reaction to her touch was visceral and confusing for him, though he hid it well. She'd laid her hand across the scars on his arm and his skin had turned to gooseflesh. He had tried to literally cut the mark from his skin one time when he'd gotten really drunk and would have bled out if Blaise Zabini hadn't found him. Astoria was the one to suggest attempting the muggle tattoo removal process, and that had done what no magic could.

He didn't know if the tingling warmth that flooded him was from Granger's magic or from the simple fact that he found her attractive. She and Astoria both had dark curly hair and brown eyes. Though Stori's curls had been more relaxed and an earthy brown. Hermione's- Granger's he corrected himself, were more auburn. Their faces were very different as well, Granger was older now of course and the stress of the past years was etched on her face when she wasn't smiling.

It had been eight years since he lost Stori and he hadn't looked at another woman twice.

Until tonight.

He'd always thought Granger was beautiful. He definitely had a weakness for intelligent curly haired witches. Stori had been a brazen little thing when he'd first met her again after the war, sharp and witty. He felt the familiar hollowness fill his chest- even eight years later, he still sometimes felt like she'd be just in the next room. Thinking about his wife sobered him and he felt Granger squeeze his arm gently before she let go.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Malfoy." She said softly, "it's not easy losing someone you love." He met her eyes, wondering how she'd known for a second, then remembering. Of course she knew grief at least as well as he did. She'd lost plenty in the war. He took a deep breath, recentering himself as Scorpius and Rose came looking for them.

"CHICKEN!" Scorpius shouted ambushing Draco as the two children snatched the bags from the counter and made a strategic retreat to the dining room. Hermione laughed and Draco couldn't help but smile as well. "We had better follow them." he said, offering her his arm as he put on his best high society manners, "if you'll allow me to escort you madam" she snorted in a rather unladylike fashion, but stood up and gathering her beaded bag and the flute case, took his arm as they left the kitchen.

Draco pointed out a few necessary sights along the way to the informal dining room where he and Scorpius usually ate. "The place can be a little confusing at first, but I'm sure you'll find your way about fairly quickly."

"Mmm" she hummed, observing the general low key grandeur. Still finer than any house she'd stayed in, but tastefully understated. Draco explained how he and Astoria had renovated and redecorated in preparation for Scorpius' birth. Hermione smiled, the house definitely came across as a home rather than a mausoleum as it had the first time she'd been there. But then, it no longer housed the dark lord and his pack of death eaters either. She glanced up at Draco as he fell silent.

"Your home is very beautiful." she offered, realizing that she'd been rather quiet. "And quite welcoming." She felt a light wash of joy at her words, though whether from the house or from Draco himself she couldn't tell right away. Draco's magic felt distant and that was fine with her.

"Thank you, and I'm glad. It will be nice to have other people around. It gets terribly quiet here at night."

"What? no ghosts to keep things lively in a house as old as this?" She quipped laughing,