Narcissa sipped her tea out in the garden and looked over her land. She smiled to herself at that thought. Lucius the fool, gave her everything she loved. Her home, her freedom, and her son. Even though there were bad memories, the truly great memories shone through the horrible ones from their early marriage. She exploded into the future and Hermione gave her a new beginning. Draco came and chased away her demons. She could not wipe away the smile that curled over her lips as a large barn owl flew to her and dropped an envelope in her hand. She noticed the seal that Draco closed his letter in and was delighted to hear of his first week of school. She was surprised to find a small note and a collection of memories seal in a small vial. She stood and walked into the Manor and went to the Library.
"Dobby," She asked the space around her as she sat down in a large plush chair, skimming Draco's letter. He saw the words, Muggleborn, Granger, and bookworm thrown down on the parchment and could not wait to see his memories. She looked up when she heard the pop. She grimaced when she saw Dobby's hands.
"Dobby, what happened to your hands?" She knelt down and examined the small little hands and summoned a healing salve from her stores. Dobby bowed his head before speaking.
"Dobby has been punished, Mistress," Dobby began as a tear dripped off his long nose.
"For what and by whom?" Narcissa gritted as she applied the ointment to his hands and fingers.
"I was punished for not getting Master his news from the Ministry before noon Mistress," Dobby let his hands stay stretched out in front of Narcissa as she took pity on the little elf.
"You are my elf now Dobby, and you will not serve the Master, I will have a talk with him and he shall not treat you and the other elves like this. You are not animals, nor are you slaves," she looked at Dobby and inclined his head to look at her and huge shinning eyes looked at Narcissa and she smiled just a little before asking, "Do you wish to be freed Dobby?"
"NO!" The little elf shouted, and banged his healing hands against his head, "Never would Dobby want another Mistress, you are kind and gentle, and you don't treat me like an elf but as a worker. No please do not have Dobby break ties with Mistress Narcissa!"
The elf now quite uncontrollable was settled by Narcissa's gentle hand on his shoulder. When she softly requested a pensive he smiled crookedly at her and popped out and then back with the seeing bowl. Narcissa thanked him and she poured the memories into the bowl as she remembered Draco's Letter.
Draco and the first years rode the boats across Black Lake and up to the castle. Draco felt curious and apprehensive about the castle but he looked on with the grace and poise of a Black. When he and the first years exited the boats Professor McGonagall met the first years and gave her regular speech about their houses being their families, but something pulled his attention away from the bespectacled woman. When she left he listened intently to the altercation.
"You are nothing more than a filthy mudblood," Goyle and Crabbe already began to bully the girl. A Boy with messy black hair and another boy with blazing red hair stood up for the girl and the bullies backed away. Draco watched interested as the red head turned around back to the dark headed boy and spoke loudly.
"You see the muggleborns don't know much about magic and therefore can't take care of themselves. It's our duty to take care of them, even if it is a know it all bookworm like that," The red head looked around as if looking for confirmation about his statements. Draco cocked his head but remained interested in seeing what would happen next, when he saw the young girl turn red, and eyes fill in anger. She reached for her wand but it was then that Draco placed a steady hand on her arm. She spun around with fury on her face, and he shook his head.
"That's mental! A Malfoy helping a Mudblood!" The red head joked and half of the first year's laughed. Draco looked at the dark headed boy, gazed into green eyes, messy hair, and a scar on his forehead.
"I would expect that Harry Potter would respect a muggle born more than what he is seeing as his own mother was one," Draco rebuffed, "But then again, there is no account for stupidity or taste, which he seems not to have with the acquaintances of an uncouth Weasley," Draco looked Harry write in the eye, "Some ideals are better than most, it its best to align yourself with the right ones. I can help you there," Draco sneered at Weasley before turning back to Harry before offering his hand.
Draco didn't even fume when his offer of allegiances was denied but it was of no consequence to him. He turned to Hermione and nodded then turned from her and then stepped into the Great hall.
The sorting went wonderfully but Narcissa was surprised that Draco was a puzzle for the sorting hat. His cunning and intellect landed him in Slytherin, but there was a problem, his loyalty almost landed a Black-Malfoy heir into the Hufflepuff house. Narcissa was proud of her son being placed into her own house but was intrigued by the Hufflepuff question. Narcissa was also proud of her son for sticking up for Hermione, and protecting her. She hated knowing the girl was bullied. She sighed and placed her face into the bowl and she fell into another memory.
Draco was walking with a few of his Slytherin housemates out of charms class when that blasted red head Ron Weasley had yet another jab at the brunette girl. She was storming off away from Harry and Ron as the girl bumped into him.
"That girl, Merlin knows she will never make any friends with the way she goes on and on," Ron droned. Malfoy stopped. There was something about the girl that he liked. The red head ran into him, then he spun around. He looked at Harry who had the decency to look trapped but the red head looked like Draco wronged him.
"Watch it Malfoy!"
"I am watching and what I see are two morons who have no sight to see brilliance. Answer me this Weasley, if you are the worst student in class, which you are, wouldn't you want to befriend, and treat the Muggle born with respect? Maybe gain her trust so she can help your idiotic ass out of an academic hole? What I find most appalling is that she is in your own house and you treat her worse that you would your worst enemy. Most stupid Weasley," Draco nodded his farewell and turned to see Hermione. Her face shone in friendship as she turned away.
Narcissa fumed and her fist clenched. Again she was proud of her son, and she adored the way Hermione looked at Draco. It was fabulous to see them getting along. She turned to the letter and read it again. She summoned a piece of Parchment and ink.
Draco,
I am proud of your placement into Slytherin house but as I think of it Hufflepuff would have been an honorable choice as well. I am joking my son. Get the look off your face, or it will freeze that way. I see you are making great friends. I am not impressed with the Weasley and Potter boy but I see Potter is not a complete lost cause. Hogwarts can be a place to make allegiance's that will last for years to come, and friends that can last a life time.
I am proud of you, my darling for standing up for the Granger girl. She seems a little lost, and it is horrible seeing her own house mates treat her so badly. You are a light to anyone's darkness, and for her you just might be the torch she needs to become part of this world.
You were right Draco. Intelligence breeds excellence, and she seems more than smart to have captured your interest. I advise you to protect her. She might prove useful in the future, if not as a friend but as an ally.
Your father is up to his schemes so watch Crabbe and Goyle. Something seems to be brewing in their homes. I am doing wonderfully but missing you horribly. I miss our chess matches. I hope you are doing wonderful. I can't wait for your next owl.
Be wonderful, Be Safe, and Be Smart,
Your Loving Mother
Narcissa sealed off up her letter and called for the Malfoy family owl and sent off her reply to Draco's letter. As we watched the owl fade into the distance she hugged herself. She really did hope that Draco and Hermione would become friends. If, and it was a huge if, things worked out in their favor in the future it would help to have him as an ally. But that was so far down the road. What Narcissa wanted to do the most was run to the little girl and embrace her and tell her everything would be alright. She was special, and important. She wanted to hug her son and tell him how proud she was. Narcissa stood as she noticed the time and walked to her bedroom. She sat at the wardrobe and reached for her mirror. The mirror Hermione gave her and thought of the woman.
That smile warmed her heart, those lips caused her to lick her own, and those eyes made her find her soul once more. With all the questionable things she had done over the years, she was certain of two things. She had her soul, and she never lost her love. She kissed her mirror and wished she could go back to the future and taste those lips once more, and shed her clothing. She climbed into bed and curled up into her blankets hugging her pillow. She dreamed of her past in the future and wished not for the first time and not for the last time that the future could meet her sooner.