But when she had looked at him — with those eyes — he had to let go immediately. He had no idea what he had been thinking. And it was better he didn't know. She might think he had gone — soft. Compassionate. Heaven forbid — caring.
He wasn't. Whatever devil had possessed him — he was neither of those things. His hand was now his own again and it wasn't to be moved from his side again soon. His thinking must have been muddled. Clearly. Or it was Eleanor's influence. Or maybe it was this building which held quite a few of his own, not so pleasant memories. And the Mansion seemed even gloomier now, seemed to have fallen more into decay even though there were new pictures on the walls. One of Abraxas and Lucius and a toddler Draco. Abraxas had been...oh well. Rather ashamed of his part-Muggle ancestry, convinced he was better than anyone — Muggle or Wizard and letting everyone know it.
It was probably the typical behaviour so many showed...feeling inferior but at the same time looking down upon those others...
"Thank you," said Granger, suddenly, and showed him a very, very weak smile, his hands, he noticed immediately, trembling ever so faintly, even though they were now clawed into one another, fingers entwined with fingers and nails digging into the skin.
He nodded briefly — and wished she would sort of make her eyes smaller again. That doe-like, wide-eyed, innocent, fearful look in her eyes was unsettling.
"Severus," he heard behind him and he felt himself — reflexes were sometimes hard to stop — reaching for his own wand.
He stilled his hand just before it could dive into his pocket and turned around. What was it with his right hand anyway? First it sneakily touched Granger and now it reached for the non-existent wand...he would have to...well, chop it off sounded a bit excessive.
"Lucius," he greeted with studied coldness.
"And Miss Granger," the blonde man could not hide his surprise well. "Did you..."
Severus interrupted. "Miss Granger would like a word with your son."
"Very well," replied Lucius and his face, again, was the mask of arrogant indifference. "Upstairs, fourth door on the right."
Granger's eyes had not changed and Severus knew that Lucius had seen her fear as well but oddly enough, like he had done, decided to ignore it and didn't even look at her. She nodded at Lucius, then looked at him again. Severus arched his eyebrows.
"Upstairs, fourth door on the right," he repeated sternly and with another little smile, she had gone up the stairs.
"Interesting, Severus," Lucius said the moment she was out of sight.
"Isn't it? I thought so too. Imagine my surprise upon getting such a letter from you," he sneered.
"Shall we continue this in the library," the other man sneered back.
"Fine," nodded he and followed his former — friend into the extensive library. He would have to keep his eyes open for that book, almost certain now that this man — who was but a shadow of his former self — had honestly and truly only the best for his family in mind. With Andromeda and Bellatrix gone insane, his wife having run off, his own mother not quite clear in the head (or maybe that had just been eccentricity), and that book additionally, he would definitely think about bringing 'fresh' blood into the family. Of course if Severus had been in Lucius's stead, he would not have recommended a Muggle but rather a witch from a different continent. Pureblood, even. There were witches and wizards in the South Pacific who had never been in any contact with British Wizardkind.
"Miss Granger? In this house?" Lucius drawled, sitting down in a plushy, if a bit old, armchair, crossing his legs.
"She and Draco's former...interest...are friends," he replied coldly.
"I see," said he.
"So he arrived well here?" asked Severus, carefully watching what he was saying — or thinking. Had never been quite sure whether Lucius Malfoy had mastered Legilimency.
"He did."
"Very good," said Severus and silence fell over those two men.
.
Hermione's mind was — frankly — in turmoil. She had never, never in her life, thought that Snape of all people could be so considerate and so...nice. Nice was the only word she could think off. He had been nice. He had given her strength in a moment when she had almost decided to run out of that house again. When she had been so close to running out of the house. When her legs only had to be convinced to move. They could not be made to walk at all. And when he had looked at her like that...and that door to that room was half behind her, her legs had been utterly like stone.
He had been so kind to her. 'Bellatrix is dead.'
Yes, she was dead and a room was just a room. A room like that could not hurt her, would not hurt her. And her memories were just memories. He had explained that — in three little words. Bellatrix is dead. It was so simple. She had a wand and Lucius Malfoy would not hurt her as long as Snape was there with her. And Draco certainly wouldn't hurt her either.
She dragged her eyes away from Snape's (when had he become so kind?) and darted up the stairs, fourth door to the right, only counting the doors, not even paying attention to what was on the walls, anything else. Actually...his eyes were still there. Still felt like he was looking at her even though an entire story separated them and her skin tingled where he had touched her.
It didn't matter. She had to convince Draco to come back home and if that task was complete, she could think about why Snape had touched her and why he had tried to take her fear away from her. And had succeeded in taking that fear away from her. But only after she had managed to get Draco to go back to Aideen.
Third door, fourth door. She didn't wait to take another breath but nodded immediately — and, again without waiting, stepped in. It was a window front. A window front was the first thing she saw. It seemed quite unusual for a Manor this age and in that style to have an entire side made of windows but Draco must have done that later — or maybe his father or mother.
There was nothing in front of the window — a desk perched on a wall and a bed on another. And Draco...on the bed. On his stomach.
She swallowed around the newly formed lump in her throat (and the image of Snape looking at her was almost gone from her head) and cleared her throat.
"Draco?" she asked, softly and the lumplike figure on the bed sat up immediately, staring at her wild-eyed.
"What in Elysium are you doing here, Granger?" he snapped angrily.
"I've come to say hello. Pay a visit," she smiled and tried to look confident and winning.
"You've said it, now you can leave again. I don't want anything to do with Mudbloods like yourself."
Her eyebrows shot up towards her hairline. He had not used that expression in a long while. "Excuse me?"
"Get out, Mudblood," he snarled and stood awfully straight and looked awfully...like the Malfoy she had despised and he talked like that as well. He had clearly been hit by something or...
Obviously. This was so obvious!
He had been hurt by Aideen and now he was reverting back to his old ways, back to the Malfoy who could not be hurt by someone. Who would not show emotions and who would insult everyone who wasn't like that. Aideen had hurt him so much that he couldn't do anything else, that he knew no other way.
"Well, the Mudblood here wants to know how you are," she said gently.
"I'm fine. Now crawl back to the hole you came from," he replied — angrily.
.
"Did I make my way here for nought?" Severus asked, his voice testy when the two men had sat for a few minutes — in absolute silence. He had been offered tea by a deranged house elf but that had been it. Lucius had only looked at him, had then looked out of the window and had looked at him again.
But at this, he focused on Severus and shook his head. But instead of talking, he stood up and rather stiffly, he made his way to a bookshelf, pulling out the familiar book. So he had been correct.
"It is true what he writes," Lucius said voicelessly. "I checked. Bellatrix's and Andromeda's 'condition' was probably caused by all this."
Severus didn't do anything — he didn't nod, he didn't look at Lucius. It wasn't necessary at all — Lucius himself was staring out of the window as well.
"It is, the books tell me, not improbable that Draco could have a similar 'condition'. Or Narcissa. She wants to get a divorce. She says I'm weak, by the way. Weak. Weak. I want what's best for my family, Severus. And I do not want a family full of...Narcissa is damaged. She hated Draco on sight. Well, no, but she hated to show him any kind of love. And I couldn't. I am the man, a mother should be able to hug her own son. And she didn't often and only as a reward. I agreed because it seemed like a sensible thing to do. But she was damaged. She cannot love. My wife cannot show love. And if I force Draco to marry a pureblood, from a family who's closely related to either the Blacks or my family, will he get completely deranged children? Or any children at all? I want my name to live on. I want the Malfoys to survive and to be respected and looked upon as a good wizarding family. I want Draco to be happy and with a wife who loves him and is able to show affection," his voice grew louder and more agitated, "I want sane, healthy grandchildren. And if they're only halfbloods, so be it. It's better than no grandchildren or Squibs. And if he won't comply and make up with that girl, I swear I will marry a random Muggle myself and produce healthy children."
The man had odd ideas, Severus thought. Truly odd ideas and he had no idea how to react.
"You have to bring her here," the blonde man continued. "You have to bring her. The Malfoy family needs her. We need fresh blood in the family. And if he likes her already, we don't have to look for anyone else. I'm sure the children will be wizards. There's no way around it. And you can bring her here. You're the perfect way between wizards and Muggles."
And the ideas — grew even odder.
.
"Draco, she loves you," she just ploughed on. "She's miserable and she misses you terribly. She asks for you every day and Mrs Callaghan misses you. They really do. Mrs Callaghan will be alone when Aideen goes to Uni again and she..."
"She will live on her own?" that was the first time he had interrupted her and she had so hoped he would. At this point. This was proof. Clearly. He still wanted her, he still loved her. He wanted to be with her and she had hurt him. Terribly. By running away.
She nodded. "She couldn't be swayed. She is basically almost back in her flat. The one she shared before? It's one less flatmate but her things are back already."
The Draco she had got to know in the past months, reappeared. His face was open and he seemed seriously concerned, seriously worried. She would play onto that.
"I'm not saying move back to Mrs Callaghan, even though I don't doubt she will welcome you with open arms but Draco, Aideen knows she's overreacted. She's talked to me and to Snape and she understands magic, I think. She understands what's happened and who you are..."
"Leave, Granger," he said and Malfoy appeared again. "I am not interested in her anymore."
.
He did not need to even switch on the radio. Granger, as well as him, was very quiet and just sat, normally, not stiffly, not slouching, in the car seat. It had been a lot to digest and even though he was curious as to what his godson had said to Granger before refusing to even let him into the room, he didn't feel able to open his mouth and ask. There was time enough. It was a long drive after all.
.
He sat there and drove. He just drove and kept his eyes on the road and after about an hour of driving, she felt well enough to speak. She kept her eyes away from him as well — it wouldn't do to look at him, and cleared her throat — as she had done earlier.
"He reverted to calling me Mudblood and he refuses to even consider going back but I know he still loves her. I mean, he basically threw me out. I have no idea why he's so stubborn about this. I mean she just ran away because she was shocked. Anyone would be. I mean imagine me telling Harry that I'd...I can't think of anything. But she was shocked and he acted too rashly. And he told her even without preamble, didn't he? I mean no warning, nothing. I'd be damn shocked if someone sprung that on me. And why did he refuse to talk to you? I thought you had a good connection? I mean he should talk to you. We've only been friends for a short while only but he did talk to me. Well, he let me talk..."
"It's hard not to let you talk," he mumbled, interrupting her.
"No, it's not," she shook her head and decided to keep her mouth shut — and that silence was rather uncomfortable. Very uncomfortable, to be honest. And the radio wasn't even on this time. She was close to tapping her foot on the ground (what was it called in the car? She didn't know...but it was a thought that kept her occupied for two minutes), to just hum or something when her thoughts returned to how he had made her feel before. With his hand on her bare arm and his eyes on hers. Now, he sat next to her and made her rather uncomfortable. Well, not quite. He was still there — but her fear was gone. Completely.
"Are you aware of a book called 'On Incest?'" he asked, suddenly, out of the blue.
"No, I don't think so," replied Hermione without losing a beat. Never heard of it.
"The House of Habsbug?"
"Those with the jaw?"
"Yes."
"I am. A bit," she nodded, and turned sideways on her car seat to have a better look at him.
"Incest produces not only a very characteristic jaws or..."
"And extra set of toes?" she guess and he scowled at the road in front of him.
"Mental instability. The book I mentioned was put on the Wizarding index in 1914..."
"There is an index?" she interrupted, unable to help herself.
"Will you stop interrupting?" he hissed angrily.
"Sorry."
"Lucius Malfoy came across that book and he is now of the opinion that 'fresh blood' has to be put into the incestuous Malfoy and Black family..."
"And he wants Draco and Aideen..."
"Granger, stop interrupting," he thundered.
"Sorry."
"But yes, he wants us, and I believe he thinks you will have to play a major part in this, to bring Aideen to Malfoy Manor and hence bringing those two back together," he seemed to have finished and she quirked an eyebrow at him.
"I doubt that...no. Snape, no. He made the mistake, he should go back to her. And bringing her to Malfoy Manor...that's like leading a lamb to slaughter. I can't..."
Snape looked at the road and said nothing. "Do you want me to bring Aideen there?" she asked impatiently.
