The Art Of Dissimulation

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

"Think about it, there must be a higher love,
Down in the heart and in the stars above,
Without it, life is wasted time.
Look inside your heart, I'll look inside mine."

James Vincent McMorrow - Higher Love
~~~~~~~

The next weeks played out in a similar fashion. The family fell into a routine. Breakfast would be spent together before Lucius would leave for the Ministry and Narcissa would depart not long after for meetings regarding charities and organizations the Malfoy family invested money into. This left the two twins explore the manner.

After the first few days and initial excitement had worn off, Mia seemed to feel more and more at home. Draco would fly around the gardens while Mia would read a book underneath the great oak tree hidden in the Manners Gardens. Every so often Draco would ask Mia to fly with him only to get a sharp no in return. As much as Mia liked sharing things with her brother, she also liked having her feet firmly on the ground.

Time would pass and by evening the family would be back around the table sharing tales of the day's events. Often times Draco complained about one thing or another and Mia quickly put him back in his place to which her mother smiled proudly at.

It was nearing the end of November when Mia finally decided to seek out her mother in her private library in hopes of finding more books on proper Wizarding societies. So far she had read books on ancestries as well as Arranged marriages and agreements but wanted to read more bonds and blood rituals. The subjects were all quite complicated and at times it took Mia a few minutes to decipher what the passages were trying to explain.

She had just come from sending a letter to her parents, The Grangers, telling them all about Draco and her life at the manner when she had started the small treck to Narcissa's library. She made a quick stop at her room to check her list of book references so that she had some ideas of the books she wanted to borrow when she ran into Draco outside her door.

"Where are you off to" he smirked as she jumped in shock, a small yell falling from her lips, his sudden appearance startling her. Mia silently cursed herself for acting so silly and reassured herself that one day no one would be able to scare her like that.

"To visit our mother, she has offered to lend me some books from her private collection" she replied walking past him and sighing when she heard his footsteps fall into step beside her.

"She's never offered to let me use her private collection" the boy pouted and Mia let out a small laugh and smirked at her brother.

"Obviously" she said and his face scrunched up slightly.

"Merlin, you sound like Severus" he said a slightly horrified expression on his face. She looked at him for a moment confused before he continued "my godfather, I'm sure you'll meet him at some point, he's the potions master at Hogwarts"

Mia suddenly felt her curiosity pique. Potions was the subject, closely followed by transfiguration and Defense Against the Dark Arts, that she was most looking forward to learning. Slipping her hand into Draco's, she wondered if the potions Professor would like her. If anyone at her new school would like her.

"I still can't believe mother is letting you borrow her books, she won't even let me anywhere near her study" he huffed "but then again you are a bit of a know-it-all" and immediately Mia pulled her hand out of his, as if she had been burned. Halting to a stop Draco looked back at his sister who was stood rooted in one place. Her eyes glassed over.
~~~~~~
"I just I don't know why you did it" the girl declared, staring at the young blonde with hatred in her eyes. Hermione Granger attended a local school and had always struggled with making friends. When half way through Year Two a feisty dark haired girl moved to the school, Hermione had been ecstatic when the two had immediately taken a liking to each other. For the rest of the year the two were inseparable. Best friends. Until now.