Chapter 10
“What? He just left? Like, literally just turned and left?”
“Yes, Theo, literally just turned and left.” Hermione clarified, the disbelief in Theo's voice echoed in her own. She’d returned home to find Theo waiting for her so they could go to Harry and Ginny’s for Wednesday dinner. “I can’t even begin to figure out what to make of it.”
Theo studied her for some time, clearly deep in thought. “I suppose it was all just too much for him,” he shrugged. “I mean, you said he’d already been through it talking with you and Draco - had to be more open than he usually would. Having to openly admit how important you are to him, on top of that, must have left him feeling pretty vulnerable.”
“I suppose so. But…Theo, do you really think he meant to him?”
“I know I said to be cautious or whatever, but now you’re just being obtuse, Princess. Of course he did. How can you possibly doubt that?” Theo raised his eyebrows as he looked across the sofa at his dearest friend.
Hermione pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. “This is all just so surreal and unexpected, I suppose. I mean, when you said there’s something there - it was you saying it, and even then it seemed crazy, but I guess there was enough evidence there that I got it to a degree. For Lucius Malfoy himself to tell me I’m important to him, in any way, it just breaks my brain a little.”
“Well, yes. That does make sense now you say it. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying he means it in a romantic sense, though I must admit I’m leaning more in that direction now - though you still need to be careful, but it’s no surprise to me at all after what’s transpired recently that you are important to him.”
Hermione looked at him like he was a little bit crazy. “Why? How can that possibly not surprise you?”
“Because it was already obvious to me.” He sat up and moved closer to her, seemingly to make sure his point hit home. “Princess, you have single handedly, in little over a week, forged what anyone would recognise as a friendship, with Lucius 'cold as stone hermit' Malfoy. Pretty much an impossible task. You’ve then also managed to achieve what his pride and joy son hasn’t managed in a year, and actually got him to actively take part in the business - publicly. Now are you telling me that there’s anyway someone could achieve that without being important to him?”
“Well, when you put it like that…” Hermione trailed off thoughtfully.
“Exactly,” Theo looked at her triumphantly. “And to be honest, I get why he’s only comfortable working closely with you, right now. You’re the person who somehow made him feel safe enough to leave his self imposed prison, but right now, he only feels safe when you’re nearby. It’ll take him some time before his confidence builds enough confidence to step away from that.”
“He can have all the time he needs, I’m not going anywhere.” Hermione smiled gently.
“No, however we really should be. We’re going to be late.” Theo jumped up and pulled Hermione with him.
A quick glance at the clock over her shoulder told her that Theo was right. The time they’d taken for tea and a reboot before heading to Harry’s had taken longer than she'd realised.
———————————
Hermione and Theo arrived home a few hours later, very tired and very full of food. It had, as always, been a fun evening and Hermione was exceptionally happy to have Harry fully on board to help with fundraising. Between that and how enthusiastic Theo had been when she got home and suggested the idea of being Marketing Manager to him, she was pleased with the way things were taking shape. Obviously there was still a long way to go but it was a good start and she was feeling positive about things.
A few minutes after they returned there was a tap at the window and she turned to see an Eagle Owl awaiting entry. Upon closer inspection she discovered it belonged to the elder of the two Malfoy men, and felt the familiar rush of excitement she’d come to associate with him, as she took the rolled parchment and fed a treat to the stunning bird. It didn’t move and so it appeared Lucius had instructed it to wait for a reply.
Hermione,
Firstly I wish to apologise for my abrupt departure this afternoon. It was unforgivably rude of me. I’m afraid I still find myself easily overwhelmed by situations in which I find myself emotionally invested.
I was also wishing to confirm our plans for Saturday, if you’re still willing to accompany me. I thought perhaps we could leave early enough to get a breakfast together when we arrive?
I shall meet you at the coffee shop for 9, providing that is to your convenience?
Fondly,
Lucius.
Smiling to herself, Hermione penned a quick reply and affixed it to the bird's leg, stroking his head briefly before he took off into the darkness.
———————————
Over the next few days, Hermione worked on the things Lucius and she had discussed for the charity department, but it was a slow few days, both having agreed they’d hit the ground running on Monday.
As she wasn’t too consumed with work, and Theo was at home with her, she enjoyed the slower pace. She didn’t get up too early, and any work she did was mostly from the comfort of her sofa while chatting to Theo - though that bit wasn’t unusual after so many years of working together.
Theo, for his part, was delighted that she was at home. The Wednesday he’d spent alone had led to Hermione being subjected to a disproportionate amount of whining, which she was exceptionally glad not to have to endure again.
A possibly-more-than-reasonable amount of time was spent thinking on what her trip with Lucius would bring on Saturday. Whatever she’d been doing over the last few days, the older blonde wizard was never far from her mind. She also spent a little longer than she ever usually did deciding on an outfit to wear for the day.
It had been a little cooler the last few days, with a soft breeze which made it slightly easier as she didn’t have to cater for the unreasonable heat. She finally settled on her favourite high-waisted jeans with a cropped white blouse, leaving her arms and just a hint of midriff exposed. Theo insisted she wear a brand new pair of tan gladiator heels. She'd never had cause to wear them, but once she put the outfit together, Theo had declared that it was perfect, before disappearing off for his own, romantic weekend with Neville.
Not that her weekend was romantic. She was just visiting a beautiful city and world famous library with a friend. Nothing romantic about it.
Hermione tried not to let being alone allow her to spiral into a web of overthinking and anxiety, but just in case she put just a few drops of dreamless sleep into her camomile tea before bed.
——————————
The next morning, Hermione woke feeling refreshed and thankful the potion had worked. She had two hours before she needed to leave, so she took her time slowly waking up, then treated herself to a steaming cup of coffee and a long shower. She tried not to think too much about why she'd put quite so much effort into her hair and makeup, nor the cause of the butterflies swarming her stomach.
As she approached the coffee shop - a few minutes before their arranged meeting time - Lucius was already there. He was dressed the most casually she’d ever seen him, in smart charcoal slacks, a black shirt open at the neck, and his hair loose around his broad shoulders. Hermione felt an almost visceral urge to reach out and run her fingers through the thick, luxuriant strands.
He turned as she came nearer, a hint of smile on his lips. “Hermione, good morning.” He placed his hand on her upper arm and leaned forward to kiss her cheek in greeting; she was so overwhelmed by the scent that was so distinctly his, that as he drew back her head swam slightly again and she felt a rush of heat between her legs. She wasn’t sure he would ever stop having such an effect on her.
“Good morning!” Hermione smiled up at him, trying desperately to appear unaffected.
“There’s an apparition spot just around the corner; I thought we’d go from there. How are you?”
They made small talk as they walked around the side of the building next to the coffee shop. When they arrived at the apparition point, a look of uncertainty crossed Lucius’ features. On this occasion, she knew almost instantly what his concern was: side-along apparition was the most efficient option, but he was wary that she’d feel uncomfortable in such close proximity to him.
She absolutely would feel uncomfortable in such close proximity, but not for the reasons he’d be expecting. She was just about to jump in and save him having to ask when he beat her to it.
“Please, feel free to say if you’d rather not, but sidealong would be the most expeditious method.”
He looked as though he was already awaiting the rebuttal, and Hermione rushed to reassure him, “No, it’s fine. Honestly, I don’t mind at all!” She moved towards him before he had a chance to doubt her words and reached out to wrap her arm around his waist.
Sweet Circe, just keep breathing, just keep breathing.
Lucius brought his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his chest.
Logically, she knew it was the most secure position for them to be in, but internally she was dying a death. The smell of him was bad enough, but combined with the feeling of his waist under her hand and the solid muscle of his chest and abdomen against her own was almost more than she could bear.
How in the hell am I supposed to avoid getting carried away?! Gods, I deserve a medal for getting through this without molesting the man!!
She couldn’t help but notice that he also seemed to be struggling with their current position. Though for what reason, she couldn’t tell. Was it what seemed to plague him most, his fear of being shunned, or was it her close proximity - and if so, what about it exactly?
As it turned out, Hermione’s overthinking served as a great way to distract her from just how incredibly attracted she was to the man holding onto her, and before she knew it, they’d arrived at their destination and he was stepping away from her again. Instantly, she missed the feeling of his body so close to hers.
They shared an indecipherable look before turning away to take in their surroundings. They were in a small alleyway which led out onto a busy street.
“Oh!” Hermione gasped. “Look at the buildings, they’re beautiful.”
“They are quite something,” Lucius agreed, an odd note in his voice. “Would you like to find somewhere to eat before we get caught up in exploration?”
“Yes, that’s a good idea. Our day will be somewhat ruined if I pass out from hunger because I got too distracted to eat,” Hermione laughed - knowing that something like that definitely wasn’t completely out of the realms of possibility for her.
“Well, we most certainly can’t have that. The Aurors would assume I'd done something nefarious to the Golden Girl, and I’d be escorted to Azkaban post haste."
“You’re right, we can’t possibly have that. I’ve far too much I need you for.”
Lucius smirked and raised an eyebrow at exactly the same moment Hermione realised how suggestive her comment had sounded. She could feel heat flood her cheeks, but she refused to back down.
“Oh, is that so?” Lucius' smirk deepened as he watched her eyes widen in shock.
“Of course, we’ve got a lot to plan,” she told him with a straight face, attempting to regain composure. As he tilted his head skeptically, she gave up the pretence and burst out laughing before turning and walking away. “Come on, breakfast,” she called over her shoulder. Her laughter increased when the sound of Lucius’ deep chuckle reached her ears.
They walked through the beautiful streets of Oxford together, taking in the view - the old stone buildings transported Hermione back in time, while simultaneously her of her Hogwarts days.
“Do they remind you of Hogwarts, too?” She smiled wistfully as she turned to look up at him, now walking beside her again.
“Funnily enough, I was just thinking exactly that.”
“I’m so glad long enough has passed that I can think of it fondly again now. For a while whenever I thought of it, all I could see were the bodies lined up on the floor in the Great Hall.”
Hermione had spoken honestly without thinking really about who she was talking to, and upon this registering in her brain, she bit the inside of her lip and looked up guiltily.
“No,” Lucius told her firmly. “It is not for you to ever feel guilty for talking about such things. You’ve earned every right and more to talk about the wretched things you experienced. I’m just sorry that I was ever a part of their cause.” He looked to the floor as he finished speaking.
“I don’t want to make you feel guilty though. I mean, I know I’ve got the right to talk about it all, but I don’t like that my doing so makes you feel bad.”
“Your doing so doesn’t make me feel bad. My deplorable actions are what causes my regret, and that’s a price I have to pay. It’s also something I carry with me at all times, to a greater or lesser extent. It’s not something I often manage to forget, so it’s not as if your mentioning serves as a reminder,” Lucius spoke plainly. A few seconds passed before he took a large breath which Hermione recognised for what it was - a precursor to a confession. “Most importantly, I don’t want you to have to watch what you say around me, Hermione. If this is to be…a true friendship, then feelings should be able to be spoken freely.”
What, like I can’t stop thinking about what you look like naked? That’s the kind of thought all true friendships are based around, right? Hermione couldn’t help herself; she gave a bark of laughter. Lucius looked startled at the unexpected response.
Thankfully, besides her ponderings about how he looked naked, a second thought had also caused Hermione to laugh, and this was certainly the better of the two options to voice. “Pot, kettle and black, I do believe, Mr Malfoy!”
“While I must concede you have a point, I feel justified in demanding recognition for progress made.” He lifted his chin haughtily but Hermione could see the small smile playing on his lips.
Hermione rolled her eyes. “You Malfoy men really do like a pat on the back, don’t you!” She tried to keep a straight face but found it impossible. When she saw the playful side of Lucius, her joy became almost palpable.
“However you wish to bestow your adulation is surely fine with me, Miss Granger.” Lucius’ flashed her a full blown smirk and her heart slammed to a stop at what, she was almost certain this time, was outright flirting.
Before she had a chance to find her voice, much less a clever reply, Lucius looked away, just ahead of them and pointed to a coffee shop. “Shall we try here?”
“Erm…y…yes, let’s.” Smooth, real smooth. She turned and walked towards the cafe rolling her eyes at herself safe in the knowledge that Lucius was at least half a step behind.
She walked through the open door into the small coffee shop. Natural light spilled in through the large front windows that covered almost the entire front wall, making the space feel bright and airy. Hermione was delighted to find a miraculously empty table right in the window.
Hermione was struck by how easily conversation came and how genuinely he seemed to want to get to know her. They talked about her close friendship with Theo, which she was surprised Lucius seemed to understand better than she’d expected, and an array of other subjects; ranging from their views as to the inner workings of the Ministry, to their shared love of literature.
It was nearly an hour later when they stepped out into the sunlight. They’d not rushed their breakfast, choosing instead to enjoy the conversation, coffee and vast array of pastries the cafe had had to offer.
They decided to head first towards Radcliffe Camera, a walk which took them first past the prestigious and imposing building of All Souls College. Hermione would have loved to enter and she was sure Lucius would too, but the college was entirely closed on Saturdays.
“Did you know,” she spoke with the enthusiasm that always accompanied the sharing of knowledge, “the exam required to get into All Souls is said to be the hardest in the world.”
She turned in time to see Lucius trying his hardest to keep a straight face.
“What?” Hermione demanded, suspecting she already knew the reason behind his amusement.
“As you well know, your love of, and desire for, knowledge is practically legendary within the wizarding world by this point,” Lucius reminded her. “Something that can be relied upon without failure. I’ve heard tale of it many times over the years - particularly from Draco, who has transitioned from disgust at being outclassed at every turn, to amusement with no small measure of fondness and respect,” Lucius returned the smile Hermione couldn’t help but give at hearing this information before he continued. “Getting to see if for myself, is a newfound treat.
“Well perhaps, purely in the interest of balance, it’s time you get to see another side of me as well.” By this time they’d arrived in Radcliffe Square, and Hermione turned to look pointedly at the group of people being shepherded inside the main doors of the grand Palladian style building by a tour guide.
“I’m not sure about you, but I’d rather avoid the tourist trap if at all possible?” Hermione raised her eyebrows at Lucius in question.
He looked at her curiously. “Well, obviously,” he drawled. “I had in fact looked into and considered paying for exclusive access, so we could explore at our leisure. However, I thought it may be a little pretentious for your tastes,” he raised his eyebrows in a show of affront “and far me it from a Malfoy to wish to appear ostentatious.”
“Oh, of course not.” Hermione looked positively scandalised at the very notion. “Thankfully the white peacocks I hear used to roam at your manor never gave such an impression. In fact; I’ve often thought of you as positively understated.”
“Good, well now we’ve clarified that, along with the fact I should have acquired exclusive access after all, what exactly did you have in mind?”
“Nothing major,” Hermione shrugged nonchalantly, “just the odd spell here and there. A bit of low level breaking and entering. The usual.” She gave a Malfoy-worthy smirk as she glanced at the security gates at the entrance. From what she’d seen they were operated by swipe card.
“Hermione Granger…a different side to you, indeed.” Lucius said thoughtfully, before he narrowed his eyes a little in challenge. “And should we be questioned by any staff once inside?”
“Nothing a quick Confundus won’t remedy.”
Lucius looked shocked, but also impressed. “Very well then, lead the way.”
It was, as Hermione suspected, an absolute breeze to get in and they were left entirely to their own devices.
The first thing Hermione noticed was how cool it was, the cold air raising goosebumps on her exposed skin, but she was quickly distracted by looking around the light-filled circular room, with its imposing arches and famed domed ceiling.
Before she had a chance to speak, she heard Lucius mumble a Muffliato and felt the tingle of magic wash over her.
“Good thinking,” she smiled conspiratorially at him, enjoying their shared escapade. “Isn’t it gorgeous!”
They spent the best part of the next hour wandering around the upper and lower reading rooms, inspecting the many fascinating tomes, and admiring the architecture.
Beautiful though the Radcliffe Camera was, it wasn’t overly large and the architecture was the main appeal of this particular building, so they didn’t want to waste too much time there.
As they left the cool air behind them and stepped back into the bright sunlight, the much warmer late morning air came as a bit of a surprise.
Hermione glanced over to see Lucius unbutton his right sleeve and roll it up to expose his forearm.
They must be the sexiest forearms ever to freaking exist. I mean, how is it even possible to be so attracted to a forearm.
She was walking next to him, but half a pace behind, strategically to allow herself to watch without being too obvious. As he moved to roll his left sleeve up she watched him falter briefly before continuing. How could she possibly have been so distracted as to have forgotten - his Dark Mark.
Just goes to how how good his fucking arms are.
Hermione refocused but couldn’t really figure out what she was feeling. She felt like she should be feeling uneasy, but somehow she couldn’t quite convince herself that it was necessary. Even if it there, what difference does it really make?
Unless…
Hermione’s sudden thought was quickly answered by the sight of dark black ink protruding from under where Lucius turned up his cuff. That was no Dark Mark.
Hermione had often seen and admired Draco’s muggle tattoo over the years, but it had never occurred to her that the Malfoy patriarch would have something similar.
Draco had spent at least a year trying every form of magical removal for the Dark Mark, until finally one day it had occurred to him that the one thing Voldemort wouldn’t have considered, was muggle means to destroy the ghastly monstrosity. One day, he’d risked going to a muggle tattoo parlor, knowing that if it didn’t cover up then he’d need to do some quick magic to save the odd occurrence from sticking in the unsuspecting tattooist's mind. However, to Draco’s amazement, the Muggle ink covered the Dark Mark as though it was no more remarkable than any other Muggle tattoo.
As Lucius rolled his sleeve further up it revealed a beautifully inked landscape - a starlit night sky forming a brilliant background to detailed silhouettes of tall fir trees.
Completely forgetting she’d been trying to look without being noticed, without thinking through her actions at all in fact, she reached out and touched the top of Lucius arm to bring him to a standstill.
As he turned and looked at her she quickly realised that he’d known all along that she’d been watching him; for there was no surprise or question in his features, just the uneasy trepidation of a man awaiting judgment.