Secrets of the Musidora

Brienwald Hall

"Melanie, this place is amazing!" a brown-haired girl exclaimed as she walked into the house. Her shoes clicked on the marble floor as she looked at the two staircases that curved elegantly from the front door, merging into a balcony on the second floor that overlooked the entranceway. From the top of the ceiling two floors above them, a giant glass chandelier overlooked them.

"You like it then, Rhonda?" Melanie asked her friend, walking inside behind her.

"Of course! I might run away from home to come live here instead!"

"I think two families residing here is quite enough," a voice proclaimed as a blonde-haired boy walked down the stairs towards them.

"What are you talking about, Draco," Rhonda asked he joined them. "I think Brienwald Hall is large enough to hold half of Hogwarts."

"It's not that big," Melanie told her, laughing.

"Okay, well, maybe all of Ravenclaw," Rhonda decided.

"I don't even think it's that big," Melanie said as they walked into the room on their right, a comfortable maroon room with several large, upholstered chairs and large portraits that greeted them as they walked in. In the corner of the room, the fireplace glowed green and two figures carrying several boxes appeared in the living room.

"I think that's about everything, Simon," Melanie's father voice said from behind the boxes in his arms. "We can set them down here."

Both men set down their loads and breathed sighs of relief.

"Thank you for allowing my mother and myself to stay here, Mr. Brienwald," Draco said courteously.

"It is no problem, Draco," Melanie's father assured him. "We have more than enough room here."

"Even with all of this stuff," Simon grumbled. "That took ten trips."

"I'm sorry if my mother cannot part with some of her possessions."

"Your mother? Have you seen how much stuff is in your room?" Melanie asked, laughing.

Draco glared at her. "Would you rather I be a pauper like Weasley?"

Melanie gave him a stern look.

"Sorry," Draco chirped back instinctively.

"I thought you were trying to curb your tongue," Melanie complained.

"One month is not enough time to delete a lifetime's worth of experience," Draco returned smartly.

"So, Melanie," Rhonda interjected, changing the subject, "have you had a chance to look around here much?"

"Just the main rooms right here and the upstairs bedrooms we're using. We've been so busy moving things here that I haven't had a lot of time to explore," Melanie explained.

"Well, if you have the last of the stuff from Malfoy Manor here..." Rhonda nudged.

Melanie laughed. "Are you saying that you want to go exploring?"

"Maybe," Rhonda admitted innocently.

Melanie looked at her father, who nodded. "I think we have everything under control here."

Just then, a small creature suddenly ran into the room. "Let me help, Master!"

Rhonda looked on in wonder as the little creature suddenly elevated most of the boxes and directed them out of the room.

Melanie laughed. "That's the house elf, Trinket. She's a little, er, energetic sometimes."

"I'll say. She's excited that there's actually people living in this old place again," Octavian added, picking up a few of the boxes that had been left behind. "She didn't enjoy it much when it was just my cousin Theodora staying here."

"Especially with her off on trips all that time," Simon added.

"What?" Rhonda asked.

"That's why she didn't respond to my parent's letter," Melanie explained with a laugh. "She was out of town."

Rhonda laughed as Melanie led her out of the room into the attached dining room. "That was what all of the worry was about?"

"I know, it seems kind of silly, doesn't it?" Melanie said as they came to a stop in the mahogany-paneled room. "Well, here's the dining room."

"Every room I see just wants me to live here more and more," Rhonda said, shaking her head as she looked around.

"You'd be amazed to see Malfoy Manor, then," Draco told her, walking in behind them. "It's twice the size of this place."

"Yes, but which one is safer?" Melanie replied as she pushed through two wooden doors. "I think this leads to the kitchen. I haven't been back here yet."

"You haven't found where the food is?" Rhonda asked, right behind her.

"Well, Trinket insists on bringing us our food," Melanie said as she looked in surprise at the hallway that lay before her.

"This doesn't look like a kitchen," Rhonda said.

"I think the kitchen's over here," Draco said, opening a door to their left, revealing a slight view of a stove.

"Then where do the rest of these doors lead?" Rhonda asked, walking down the hall. She opened the other door on their left.

"That would be the pantry," Draco explained as they all peered in to see shelves upon shelves of food. "And I would guess that that," he motioned to the door on their right, "is the house-elf's quarters."

Sure enough, the door to their right revealed a small bed and a rather large collection of random trinkets collected throughout the years.

"I see now where she gets her name from," Rhonda said as they walked back down the hallway.

Melanie nodded as she looked at the next door-the only one they had not yet opened.

"Any guesses on what's behind door number 4?" she asked as she opened the door.

The room inside was dark, so Melanie took out her wand. "Lumos."

The light from the wand revealed a dark, dusty room, barred off from the afternoon light by large shutters. A row of cabinets stood off on the far wall, and a large table stood in the middle of the room.

"It doesn't look like anyone's been here in ages," Rhonda said, dragging her finger along the wall and looking in disgust at the amount of dust that collected on it.

"This would be a great place to brew potions," Melanie said as she walked around the room. "After it's cleaned up a bit, of course."

"Is that all you think about?" Rhonda asked, shaking her head.

"What's wrong with that?" Draco said as they all walked back into the hallway.

"I didn't say there was anything wrong with it, I was just asking if that was all she thought about," Rhonda explained as the group walked through the dining room and back out into the main hallway.

"Sure," Draco told her unbelievingly.

Melanie just shook her head, leading the group into another rather large room.

"What's this room?" Rhonda asked, looking from the numerous plants lining the walls to the full-length windows that ran along the far wall.

"I think my father said it was called the tea room. We usually eat breakfast here," Melanie said. "One of those windows is a door leading out into the garden."

Rhonda hurried over and opened the door, taking a step out onto the deck behind the room. By the time Melanie and Draco had followed her out, Rhonda had made her way down the stone stairs into the collection of bright flowers.

"It's beautiful," Rhonda said, walking up to a rather large arrangement of flowers surrounding a statue of a giant unicorn. "Why a unicorn?"

"I think it's our family's symbol, or something like that," Melanie said as she and Draco joined her. They spent a few minutes just walking amongst the flowers.

"What's out here?" Draco asked, taking a step out of the garden towards the woods that stood on the edge.

"I don't know. I don't even think that's part of our property."

"But I see a building," Draco responded. "And there's a path."

"Really?" Melanie asked. Draco nodded and pointed to a small dirt path that led to a wooden building in the distance.

"That would be the barn," a voice said behind them. Melanie turned and saw her father's cousin Theodora standing there.

"What's in there?" Rhonda asked. "Unicorns, hippogriphs?"

Theodora laughed. "No. Horses."

A look of disgust crossed Draco's face. "Those silly muggle creatures?"

"That'd be it, Mr. Malfoy. Although I must say I disagree with your opinion. Even though they're not magical creatures, I think they're more than worth the time and effort."

Draco rolled his eyes.

"Have you ever seen a horse up close, Mr. Malfoy?" she asked. He shook his head. "Well, today's your chance." She led them up the path towards the barn.

"Where did you get the horses from?" Melanie asked as they approached the barn.

"By accident, really. They were randomly walking around the countryside a year or so ago. I bought another one a few months ago."

"How many do you have?" Rhonda asked.

"Four. Two male and two female," Theodora answered as they walked into the barn. In the first stall was a gray mare.

"This is Maureen," Theodora introduced, rubbing her hand along the mare's face. "She's very stately when she trots, this one."

Melanie laughed as she moved on to the next stall. There stood a tall golden-brown creature.

"What about this one, Theodora?" Melanie asked, gazing up at the horse. The horse walked up to her and nuzzled her.

Theodora laughed. "That's the other female, Teresa. Very affectionate, that one. Was the first one to let me ride her."

"I like her," Melanie said, petting the horse.

"Looks like she likes you, too," Rhonda said with a giggle. "But, ooh, look at this one. A black stallion," she said, moving onto the next stall.

Theodora led the others past the other two stalls in the barn, but Melanie stayed by Teresa's side.

"Well, are you going to stand in this smelly barn all day or are you going to come back to the house to have lunch with the rest of us?" Draco said as the group walked back to Teresa's stall.

"Of course I'm going to eat lunch," Melanie told him, giving Teresa one last pat. She turned to Theodora as they walked out. "I've always wanted to learn how to ride a horse. Can you teach me?"

"No problem," Theodora answered as they walked back towards the house.

"Gee, I wonder which horse you'll want to ride," Rhonda teased as they climbed the stairs to the back patio.

As they sat eating lunch, an owl flew up to the window and started pecking at it.

"Who would be sending us a letter?" Melanie asked as she got up to open the window. She untied the parchment that was attached to the owl's foot and gave it a few treats from a bowl sitting by the window. As the owl flew away, she opened it and began to read.

"Oh, it's an invitation to Bill and Fleur's wedding," she announced, sitting back down at the table.

Draco groaned. "I had forgotten about those two getting married. You're not actually thinking about going to that blood traitor's wedding, are you?"

"Draco," Melanie warned, giving him a look.

"I'm sorry, but you don't really want to go to their wedding, do you? The only way that you know them is through Weasel, I mean Weasley, and..."

"I've heard enough," Melanie said, standing up and starting to walk out the door. She sighed and turned to face him when she reached the doorway. "The Weasleys are our allies, and if they thought to invite us then I think it is worthwhile to attend."

Draco grumbled and turned back to his food. "She's too stubborn for her own good."

"You both are too stubborn for your own good," Rhonda corrected, standing up and following Melanie out. She caught up with Melanie as she reached the stairs.

"I don't understand why I put up with him sometimes," Melanie grumbled as she walked up the stairs.

"Don't ask me that. I understand you two less than you do," Rhonda answered, following Melanie to her bedroom door. She gasped as Melanie opened the door and walked inside. "Melanie, this is your room?"

Melanie nodded, looking around her. Light flowed in through a large floor-to-ceiling window that illuminated a large four-poster bed pushed against a wall, the rest of the walls lined with shelves, an elegant vanity covered in different vials, Melanie's writing desk from her room in New York, and a beautifully carved wardrobe.

"All your clothes fit in here?" Rhonda asked, walking up to the wardrobe and looking around the room for somewhere else that Melanie could have stashed her clothes. She opened the wardrobe door and peered inside, blinking several times as she looked at the large number of clothes-both muggle and magical-that sat comfortably inside. "An expanding wardrobe-awesome!"

Melanie laughed as Rhonda withdrew from the wardrobe and closed the door. "Where did you get all the wizard robes from?" she asked. "There wasn't just Hogwarts robes in there."

"Some of them are Mom's old ones that don't fit her anymore. Dad also took me shopping in Diagon Alley a few days ago to pick up a few more," Melanie explained, rearranging some items sitting on a nearby shelf.

"Oh, look, it's the picture frame I gave you!" Rhonda exclaimed, looking as the pictures circled around on the shelf. Melanie smiled to herself as she looked at the moving pictures-both the moving ones in Rhonda's frames and the usual muggle ones that sat in frames along either side-an import from her room in New York.

"What are these?" Rhonda asked, looking at the shelf below, covered with seemingly random items.

"Stuff from New York." Melanie laughed as she looked over each item. Each reminded her of some fun memory-usually involving Sophie.

"What is this, while you are giving the grand tour?" Draco's voice asked from the doorway, peering at something sitting on the table next to the door.

"It's a CD player," Melanie answered.

"Why do you have that muggle contraption sitting in your room?"

"Because it is mine," Melanie told him. She turned to face him. "What concern is it of yours what is in my room?"

"I just don't think it's respectable for a pureblooded witch..."

"And I don't think it's respectable to criticize those who are offering you safety!" Melanie interrupted, jumping to her feet and storming past him.

"Melanie!" Draco shouted, turning and watching her walk away.

"Way to go, Draco," Rhonda muttered, walking to stand next to him.

"Shut your mouth."

Rhonda laughed. "Why? I'm not upsetting her with every other word that comes out of my mouth. Now, if you'll excuse me." She pushed past Draco and walked into the hall.

~*~*~*~

Dinner that night was uneasy, it being the first time that both the Brienwalds and Malfoys had dined together. There was still a noticeable tension between Melanie and Draco, as well as uneasiness between Violetta and Narcissa. Octavian and Simon just sat in the awkward silence.

Narcissa finally cleared her throat and broke the silence. "I can't thank you enough for letting Draco and me stay here, Letta."

Violetta smiled. "Oh, don't even bother. You both are welcome to stay here for as long as you need."

Narcissa nodded. "Thank you so much, Letta."

"I already told you, Cissa. Don't worry about it," Violetta told her, returning her attention to her food.

"I know. I'm looking forward to our families being able to spend more time together."

Melanie looked cautiously over at where Draco was sitting next to his mother. Their eyes met, and Melanie just sighed and focused back on her food. After dinner, Melanie took a book and went to read it in the living room. Draco walked up to her and put his hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry about today. I realize that some of the things I said weren't appropriate."

"Weren't appropriate?" Melanie asked in surprise, setting down her book and turning to look at him. "What you said was almost cruel! I thought you were going to try to be more accepting."

"I was, I mean, I am," Draco told her. "But you can't expect me to completely change who I am. Or do you?"

Melanie shook her head. "I don't know what I want or expect, Draco. All I know is that you can infuriate me more than anyone else I've ever met-don't laugh!"

Draco bit his lip and tried to stop laughing. "I'm sorry."

"That's what I mean!" Melanie told him. "How can this possibly ever work between us? You're a spoiled rotten brat and I'm..."

"You're what?" Draco laughed. "You're not an angel yourself, you know. You have your moments-times when I can see the Slytherin in you. And that," he kissed her on the forehead, "is when I'm attracted to you the most."

Melanie rolled her eyes. "You have more than enough Slytherin moments for the both of us." She held up her book up so that it blocked her view of Draco.

"I know that this seems to be the strangest match-up in history sometimes, but there is something between us. You must see it."

"How can I not see it, Draco?" Melanie asked. She lowered her book and let it drop to the floor. "It's like there's a giant neon sign with a big arrow pointing to it." She sighed. "Or a giant blue dome."

Draco knelt down beside her and held her hand in his own. "Then it seems like we have no choice but to see where it all leads."

Melanie sighed. "How exciting," she said sarcastically, pulling her hand away.

"I thought you were wanting to have a relationship."

"It's not that." Melanie shook her head. "I feel like we're being forced into this. I didn't choose to care about you, it just happened. I don't even like being around you that much!" She picked up the book and opened it back up with a huff.

"You better get around that, since it seems we're going to be living under the same roof for a while."

"Are you not understanding one word I'm saying?" Melanie shouted. "It's not me who's the problem-it's you! Something deep inside of me is saying that I care about you-but on the outside I can't stand being around you because you're so pompous and self-absorbed!"

"Nice to know you're not judgmental," Draco told her.

Melanie sighed as she stood up and started to pace around the room. "I'm not...I mean, I'm not trying to be. It's just that last year there were moments when I saw parts of you that I really enjoyed being around, but here lately..."

"It's nice to know you're that confident in me."

"Draco, I didn't mean..."

Draco nodded and took a few steps towards her. He grabbed her arms and slowly pulled her into a kiss. "Is there absolutely nothing about me you enjoy?"

"I didn't say that. It's just hard for me to think that this will work out when we seem to spend so much time arguing with each other."

"It will work out."

"How do you know?" She glared at him.

"Because of a little thing that happens whenever a spell is cast."

Melanie looked into his eyes and just shook her head. "I just would like to know where all of this came from."

Draco smiled. "Wherever it did, I'm not arguing with it." He kissed her on her cheek.

~*~*~*~

The next few days were carefree and fun for everyone at Brienwald Hall. Rhonda visited a lot of the time and she, Melanie, Draco, and Simon all played quidditch in the fields behind the barn. Sometimes Octavian joined them, as well, since Violetta and Narcissa spent most of their days together catching up on the last fifteen years. On some days when Rhonda couldn't come, Melanie and Draco would join their mothers in the living room as they reminisced about happier times.

"It's so funny," Melanie observed one day. "I never would have imagined the first time I saw Draco that our mothers would have been such friends."

"Who could have imagined the first time we met that we would end up being friends?" Draco added. "When we ran into each other outside the Great Hall we hated each other."

Melanie giggled. "Well, it was easy to not like each other since we did quite literally run into each other."

"Well, you two didn't fare too well when you met when you were babies, either," Narcissa laughed.

"What?" Melanie asked.

"A few weeks after Draco was born, I took you to visit Cissa," Violetta explained. "You were only a few weeks old, so you obviously wouldn't remember."

"What happened?" Draco asked, laughing.

"Well, you two looked at each other for a few seconds," Narcissa began.

"And then you pulled her hair," Violetta finished. "Well, what hair she had."

Melanie chuckled. "Sounds like you."

"Hey, what are you trying to say?" Draco protested, but Melanie just shook her head and continued to laugh.

"We used to joke about that you were trying to pull her closer." Narcissa laughed. "That seems to fit now, though."

Melanie and Draco exchanged looks and tried to suppress their giggles. Violetta nodded and looked at the clock on the mantle.

"My, it's getting late," she said, standing up. "I think I'll head to bed. Melanie, do you want to get that box of stuff out of my room?"

"Sure, Mom," Melanie agreed, standing up and following her mother out of the room. "Good night, Draco, Mrs. Malfoy."

When they arrived at her mother's room, Violetta handed her the small box.

"So, how have you and Draco been doing?" her mother asked.

"Fine, I guess. Why?"

"I just wanted to ask, darling. I can't help but be worried somewhat by your relationship with Draco."

"Why, Mom?" Melanie asked, giving her mother a confused look.

"It's just that I want to make sure that this is what you want."

"What do you mean? What on earth are you talking about?"

Violetta took a deep breath. "I don't have anything against Draco, and you know I don't have anything against Cissa, but I do worry about his father and what you're getting yourself into."

"Why does Mr. Malfoy matter at all?" Melanie asked. "So he's locked away in Azkaban, I'm fine with that."

Violetta shook her head. "I just wanted to make sure that you weren't being pushed into this somehow, or being influenced by mine and Cissa's friendship."

"Mom, all of this happened before I knew how close you and Mrs. Malfoy were."

Violetta eyed her suspiciously. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, Mom. Is that it?"

She sighed and nodded. "I just worry about you."

"Mom, that's all you do. I'll be all right. I can take care of myself," Melanie told her. Violetta nodded.

"I know, darling."

"Good night, Mom."