Domestic Wizardry (Dramione)

Chapter 5: Set to Rights

Present day...

Hermione was up before the sun, she got her things sorted and put away in her new room and made her way down toward the kitchen in the still quiet house. On her way she stopped by the door to the conservatory. She stood there for a long moment before turning the knob and walking in. The room was filled with plants both magical and mundane, and Hermione made her way slowly around the edges of the room before winding her way to stand in the center. She closed her eyes and allowed her mind to go over the events that had scarred her body and soul- what she could remember of them. And then she opened her eyes and looked around. This floor, these walls, weren't the same ones that had witnessed that trauma. The room had been stripped down to the bones and rebuilt, the outer wall completely knocked out and replaced with glass.

This room bloomed with life now and she absolutely loved it.

Peace made with the one space in the house that held the most pain for her, Hermione made her way out to the kitchen.

Maudsley was humming a familiar tune as she flipped pancakes on the griddle when Hermione came in.

"Oh, Ms. Granger." The elf said, "good morning. Can I get you anything?"

"An apron and point me in the direction of whatever needs done next." She replied. The elf had an apron in hand in an instant. "I was just about to put the bacon in the oven ma'am."

"Well I can definitely do that." Hermione moved to where the bacon was set out and started laying it out on the pan. "Do you have a radio?" She asked after a minute of working in silence. "Yes ma'am it's just above the sink." The elf flicked a wrist and the radio turned on to a wizarding channel, the song she'd been humming when Hermione had come in was just wrapping up and the radio host announced the next song.

"Do you know this one Maudsley?" She asked,

"Yes ma'am"

It took about thirty seconds before both Hermione and the house elf were singing along with the Weird Sisters greatest hits.

The bacon in the oven and a new song Hermione wasn't familiar with playing more quietly on the radio, she started the coffee and found a mixing bowl for the eggs as Draco came in from the garden in shorts and a T-shirt, drenched in sweat. "Hey Mauds, we'll be having lunch out this afternoon, just so you're aware." He had accio'd a hand towel and was scrubbing it across his face and neck as he came in the door and didn't see Hermione in the kitchen at first.

"Morning Malfoy."

He nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Merlin Granger. I wasn't expecting you to be up so early."

"I'm an early riser." She shrugged.

"Same. Gotta get up early if you're going to have any time alone here." He tossed the hand towel across his shoulder. He stood there for a second, not knowing what to say next. Hermione also stood silent, fidgeting with the mixing bowl in her hands, obviously trying not to stare at him. "Well... I'm going to get cleaned up." He turned then and left before things could get any more awkward. Hermione watched him go, then turned back to the bowl of eggs that still needed cracking, anything to keep herself busy and not thinking of exactly how fit Draco Malfoy looked in running shorts and a damp t-shirt.

Ten minutes later Draco was washed and dressed and back down in the kitchen pouring himself a cup of coffee. Hermione was still working on the eggs, she'd scrambled four for Rose and Scorpius when Maudsley had told her how he liked them, and set them aside, a stasis charm in place.

"How do you like your eggs?" She asked, turning to set down the cup of coffee she'd poured herself shortly after he'd left the kitchen. He posted up against the counter beside her, "over easy." They both wore jeans, she had on a flowy green long sleeve top and the kitchen apron, while he wore a grey henley with the sleeves folded to his elbows, similar to the day before. She'd not yet bothered to glamour the bruise on her face. "Hermione," he started as she turned back to the stove and she glanced over her shoulder at him.