"You want homework, Granger?"

Her cheeks heated and she narrowed her eyes at him. "No," she snapped.

"You want to pick up after the peacocks? Make my meals?"

She huffed. "No. I want to throw the covers over my head and pretend I'm not living this nightmare, but—"

"Great," he said. "Do that." And without another glance at her, he swiveled and left.

She watched him take the stairs in two long strides, cutting sharply for the door, and yanking it open before vanishing.

Of all the idiotic—! Hermione huffed. Picking up after the peacocks? Really?

She took a deep breath, coming back to herself, coming back to her situation. It wouldn't do to rile herself up over such a small annoyance. Given her circumstances, her first interaction with her new master could have been much different. She should count herself lucky.

But what was the point of buying her if he had no opinion on how she spent her days? Would no one tell her why she was here? Each Malfoy had a different agenda it seemed, and her mind groaned under the pressure of these riddles.

About half an hour of agitated wandering later, Narcissa came to check on her, teased her lightly for only having three books, and offered to show Hermione the way back upstairs.

She really should have paid attention to memorize the path. She was allowed to visit the library again on her own, but her stomach twisted at the idea of running into Draco again.

Narcissa told her she would have the elves send up dinner in a few hours. There was a question Narcissa asked, but she didn't concentrate on it, instead, letting her mind drift over something Draco said.

Narcissa closed the door, and Hermione looked to the bookshelves.

Your books.

She ran her fingers over the spines.

Your room.

She looked at the bedroom suite. At the deeply comfortable bed. At the bookshelves. At the closet full of clothes exactly in her size.

Hermione felt foolish now for thinking this room would be taken from her at some point. For thinking someone else's clothes just happened to fit her nicely. There was so much she still didn't know, but at least she'd solved one problem. She moved to the bathroom and stared at the tub.

Her tub.

She had at least two hours before Narcissa said dinner would arrive.

Hermione took off the jeans, folding them nicely over the counter, pulled off the jumper, and brought a towel over to the edge of the tub. She started the taps. She turned on the bubbles.

And she washed it all away in her bathtub, in her suite in Malfoy Manor.

Chapter End Notes

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Chapter 8

Chapter Notes

Thanks for your patience as I took a week off!

LOVE to SaintDionysus and raven_maiden .

FYI, I have a little something dropping this week that’s in-universe, and has some hints of what’s to come in the Auction. Keep your eyes peeled Wednesday.

CONTENT WARNING: references to suicide and mild violence.