Chapter 3

Chapter 3

It was past midnight when Hermione retired for the evening. Even as exhausted as she was, she could not immediately fall asleep. Her thoughts kept her awake. 'He is quite handsome and gallant, isn't he?' Be quiet. He's old enough to be my father. 'Yes, we discussed that. Does it really matter? Is there a rule that says you can only fall in love with someone your age? After all, your father is older than your mother.' He's only eleven years older than Mum. Malfoy is more than twenty years older than me. 'Then why do you think about kissing him? Wondering how kissing an experienced man will feel?' I do not! 'You can't lie to me. You do. You wonder how it will compare to Ron's kisses.'

She rolled over in bed and beat her pillow, hoping to quiet the voice in her head. 'I've seen the way he looks at you.' You're imaging things. He's a pureblood and I'm a filthy little Mudblood. 'I don't think he cares anymore. You heard what he said.' Yes, and he didn't mention anything about changing his opinions on blood. 'Not directly, but you weren't listening close enough.'

She tried shifting again. 'I'm still here. You can't ignore me.' Yes I can! 'As you wish. I'll come back later.'

Lying still for a little while longer, she realized that the voice had gone away. Why part of her mind thought that thinking about Malfoy was acceptable was beyond her. Unfortunately, between the romance novels she had read and Fred and George's daydreams, she had a very vivid imagination, even without the experience to back it up.

As she drifted off to sleep, the little voice in her head decided that experiencing the Prince Charming fantasy, with Malfoy in the starring role, might be helpful.

Hermione was trapped in a high tower. The Black Knight had captured her after the king refused to allow him to marry his daughter. Now she was pacing the tower, hoping for a way out. They were to be wed at sunset. Outside the window, she heard someone call her name. Running to the balcony, she looked to the ground and saw a knight in shining armor astride a white steed. As she looked down at him, he doffed his helmet and shook out his luxurious, long, blonde hair.

She shook her head and found that she couldn't keep her hands off her savior. Quite deftly, she undid his shirt and pulled it over his head. She was keenly aware of his hand sliding up her skirt. He nibbled at her neck, and she moaned in delight. His hand was rubbing the sensitive skin between her legs, and she pulled at him, wanting more.

When Hermione woke, she was drenched in sweat and passionately embracing her pillow. She could feel the throbbing and wetness between her legs. Disgusted with what she had dreamt, she threw her pillow across the room and shouted, "NO! I will not think about him like that."

'Too late,' chimed the voice.

Choosing to ignore the voice, she got out of bed and decided to take a cold shower. That should put an end to the voice.

When she stepped out of the bathroom, she looked around the room for her clothes. They weren't on the chair where she had left them. She saw a set of robes hanging on the bathroom door. Picking them up and examining them, she saw that they were tasteful, and since she had little choice, she put them on. Examining her reflection in the mirror, she thought the robes fit reasonably well, though they were a little short. The gold color reflected off her eyes and complemented her coloring. She was tempted to believe this was Malfoy's doing, but she knew that he couldn't communicate with the house-elves from his room.

Once she removed the locking charms, she knocked on his door.

"Come in," Malfoy replied. He rose as she entered his room. "Good morning, Miss Granger. You look lovely, though I will apologize for the house-elves. You see, they are used to collecting laundry at night. They must have noticed you didn't have a change of clothes and brought you the lovely robes you are wearing. I can have Gupper return your clothes immediately."

She tried not to blush at his complement, memories of her dream running through her mind. "No, that won't be necessary." She still didn't like the idea of house-elves, and she didn't want to do anything to further burden them. She noticed that he looked more like the master of the house in his crisp shirt and smoking jacket. Yesterday, he had been wearing rough looking second hand clothing.

"I hope you slept well."

Her cheeks flushed as she momentarily thought about her dream. "Yes, very well, thank you. Are you ready for breakfast?"

"Of course, my dear. After you." He gestured towards the door. Watching her backside, he opined that he definitely preferred her jeans. Of course, the bodice of the dress was much more flattering than the jumper she had been wearing yesterday. He was willing to make the trade since she would spend most of the day sitting.

Since there were once again fresh flowers at the table, he decided to discuss the gardens and hothouse. As they finished eating, he said, "Perhaps you would like to take lunch in the conservatory? It's far less formal than the dining room, and it looks like we might have some sun today."

"That sounds...pleasant," she replied.

He grinned at her. "Excellent. Gupper! We will take lunch in the conservatory. Sandwiches will be sufficient."

"Yes, Master."

"Shall we return to the library?" he asked after the elf was gone.

"Of course," she replied. She paused momentarily when he offered her his hand to help her out of her seat, and could feel her pulse begin to race in anticipation of his touch. Taking a deep breath in the hopes of burying the voice, she accepted his hand. "It's really not necessary."

"Nonsense," he replied nonchalantly. "While we may be in a time of war, that's no reason decent manners should be ignored. I would betray my upbringing if I were rude to my guest."

A part of her wanted to ask him outright what he thought about those that weren't purebloods, but she didn't want to risk losing access to the library. "I'm just not used to it."

"Ah, yes, I have noticed that Muggles seem to have abandoned some of the gentility of the past. I would imagine that there are still things about the wizarding world you find foreign." He paused thoughtfully. "If you would like, I would be willing to tutor you. It may prove beneficial when you seek employment." He paused again. "Forgive me for being forward."

"That's all right."

"I don't even know what your intentions after this is all over are. If you don't mind me asking, have you given any thought to your future?"

"A little, but not enough. There has been so much going on. At one point I thought about being a Healer, but now I'm not sure."

"A noble profession. Have you considered private practice?" He knew she could be more, would be more, but now was the time to be supportive. He knew that she had not received much support from her friends.

"There's such a thing?"

"Of course. I have heard that you are incredibly bright. It would be a shame to waste your talent at St. Mungo's. I'm sure you would be interested in research, and that would be much easier to accomplish if you controlled your own schedule. Of course, you would still have to do your internship at St. Mungo's, but afterwards, you would be free to do as you wish."

"I had no idea," she said as she released his arm.

Now that he had demonstrated that she still had much to learn about the wizarding world, he would continue to draw her toward him. "My offer still stands. Have any of the books been particularly useful? I could select some others covering the same subjects if you would like."

"Oh, thank you." She picked up three of the books. "Do you have any more like these?"

He took the books from her and read the titles. "I'll be back shortly."

She watched him walk back to the secret chamber. 'He smiled at you.' He smiles a lot. 'Only at you, at least a sincere smile. Watch his eyes.' I will not watch his eyes. 'Chicken.'

She continued to try to deal with the absurdity of these conversations she was having with herself. She looked up when Malfoy returned with the books.

"I hope you will find these useful," he said cheerfully.

Despite her promise, she looked into his eyes. The smile on his lips was sincere; the eyes never lied. 'See. I told you so.' Oh, shut it. "Thank you, Mr. Malfoy."

"My pleasure, Miss Granger." He made sure he brushed his hand against hers. "If I can be of further service, please ask."

"I will," she replied and cringed as her voice cracked. His touch had felt electric, eliciting unwelcome reactions from her body.

***************

Shortly before lunch, Gupper entered the library carrying a letter on a silver tray. "Master, Gupper apologizes, but Miss Granger has received a letter."

She looked up as Malfoy waved the elf toward her. She picked up the letter and said, "Thank you." The letter was from Moody, just checking to make sure everything was fine. He alluded to some of the others being concerned when she had not returned last night, despite her message explaining the situation.

Picking up quill and parchment, she penned a reply, reassuring everyone that her research was going well, and that she would probably be here a few more days due to the sheer number of books she had to go through, but that she would definitely be back for the Christmas feast. "Would it be possible to post this?" she asked.

"Of course. Gupper. Miss Granger has a reply to be posted."

"Yes, Master. Gupper would be happy to post the letter for Miss Granger. The owl was refusing to leave." He nodded obsequiously, took the letter, and vanished with a pop.

She watched where the house-elf had been. "Have you thought of freeing them?"

"I had, but what would they do? I have changed, and I think they will find service here much different than it once was. Incarceration has a way of changing a person. I had a great deal of time to reflect on my past and..." He looked away from her. "I'm not proud of much that I did. Once I am allowed my freedom, I will give them time to see how I have changed and offer them their freedom after a six-month period. If they accept, I will allow them to continue service to the Malfoy family if they wish. Though, I don't think you entirely understand the importance of the loyalty that house-elf servitude brings."

"You mean slavery," she retorted.

He replied neutrally, "As you wish. If I may ask you a question, have you discussed this proposed freedom with the house-elves? You may be offering them something they don't want."

"Well..." She thought back to how the house-elves in the Hogwarts kitchen had reacted to her discussion of having them freed. "It's only because they don't know any different."

Watching the determined look on her face, he forced himself not to smile at her naivety. "As it stands now, house-elves have guaranteed employment for life. They are housed, clothed, fed and given medical care, all in exchange for their unbreakable loyalty to their family and their service." He could tell she wanted to interrupt and continued quickly. "It is a beneficial magical contract for both sides. It is true that I used to treat my elves rather poorly, and I am not the only one. Some may be better off granted their freedom, but others are not. Each of us has secrets that we wish to keep. Servants are in a position to hear those secrets.

"Did you know that before wizards and house-elves formed their alliances, that human servants were bound by a similar contract? By freeing house-elves, families would be less likely to hire them, as their confidence could not be guaranteed. Before you pursue this endeavor in earnest, you should consider the consequences. Would you really make their lives better?

"I believe that you should instead concentrate on house-elf treatment. If owners could be convinced that a healthy and happy servant is more efficient, would that not serve the same purpose?"

She considered his words carefully. She knew that Ron and Harry had insisted time and again that the elves did not want their freedom, but listening to Malfoy, she considered ramifications that had not occurred to her. "I suppose so," she replied meekly. Now that she had found her voice, she continued, "But Dobby is happy free. He's proof that it can work."

He tried not to react at the mention of the elf Potter had tricked him into freeing. "That may be true, but I believe he will be the exception rather than the rule. Was there not another house-elf that didn't react well to being free?" Lucius was glad that the others had ignored him; he had learned much through overhearing conversations.

"Well, yes, but that's different," she insisted.

"How so?" He wanted her to seriously consider the ramifications of her house-elf freedom crusade. If she pursued such a hopeless and laughable cause, she would lose some of her respectability, and he couldn't allow that.

"Well, she was..." Her voice trailed off as she really couldn't come up with an explanation.

"This is why I think you would find it far more effective to campaign for better treatment. You would be hard pressed to find aristocrats willing to part with a faithful servant. But those same people would be amenable to changing their treatment if there was a benefit. I would be willing to assist you in this venture."

"You would?" she asked incredulously. No one had ever taken her house-elf crusade seriously.

"Of course, my dear. Why don't we finish this discussion over lunch?" He offered her his hand and escorted her to the conservatory. "I'm sure that you have noticed that the manor is pristine. Truthfully, this is cleaner than I have seen it in quite some time, all with no supervision. Obviously, the traditional punishment that we have been taught that house-elves require for obedience was an incorrect belief. Ah, here we are." He released her arm and pushed open a set of heavy double doors.

While Hermione had not thought the rest of the manor was cold, she was hit by a blast of warm, fragrant air, and she closed her eyes to enjoy the scent. She felt an arm wrap around her waist and opened her eyes.

"I think you will find the garden more enjoyable than standing here in the hall." He led her into the brightly lit and extremely colorful room.

Hermione looked around the room, surprised that such beauty could exist at Malfoy's manor. In the distance, she could hear the bubbling of a fountain. "It's amazing."

He replied proudly, "It is, isn't it? This has always been one of my favorite rooms." He plucked a flower from a vine, stuck it behind Hermione's ear and gently smoothed her hair. "Now you truly belong in the garden."

She looked away from him and blushed. 'Why won't you believe me? He likes you.' It has to be an act. 'Must you be so logical? Fine. He is mature, intelligent and he did not immediately ridicule your idea. He is willing to debate with you. Unlike Ron.' What would he want with me? What could I have to offer someone like him? I don't fit into his world. 'But he's offered to teach you. Think of the opportunities.' What opportunities? He's disgraced, a former convict. 'Ah, but if he still has money, that will make all the difference. Remember, they forgave him last time.'

"Hermione? Are you well? Is the scent too much?"

She gave him a reassuring smile. "No, I was just lost in the beauty. It's easy to forget it's December in here." Had he just called her 'Hermione'?

"That it is. This way. We are dining by the fountain." Once again, he placed his hand on her back. He fought the desire to pull her against his body and capture her mouth in his.

She stared in awe at the fountain. It was a green marble willow tree with water flowing from many of the branches. Perched in the branches were birds carved from various precious stones. "Amazing."

He stood just behind her left shoulder. "I was quiet pleased to find a stone carver who could make it, a nice old man from Italy. The others had all told me I was insane. It took five years from the time I had the idea until it was delivered."

She thought it looked almost alive and she reached out to touch it, to reassure herself it was just stone. "Incredible." As she turned to look at Malfoy, she noticed he was incredibly close. She could feel her body reacting to his closeness. Licking her lips, she looked around the room, saw the small table set nearby, and walked around him to take a seat. "I think we should eat so I can get back to work."

Lucius was quite pleased by her reaction, though he was careful not to show he had noticed. "Of course," he replied innocently. She might feel the same way he did, but she obviously harbored reservations that he did not. "If you would like we can take all our meals here. I believe you will find the conservatory quite enchanting at night."

Looking around, she much preferred this room to the dining room. "I think I would enjoy that."

"Then I shall see that it is done."

'He's romantic, too. Can you say that about the others?' I'm not listening to you. 'No, of course you're not. Give him that shy look again. I think he likes it.'

Trying to ignore the voice that was becoming more insistent, she glanced up at Malfoy and saw that he was indeed watching her. She quickly returned her gaze to her plate.

Lucius was amused by her shyness. When he could get her to relax and be herself, she was quite pleasant to be around. He gave her a few minutes to try some of the sandwiches before asking, "Are they to your liking?"

"Oh, yes. They're quite good," she replied without looking up. She felt like she should say more, but she couldn't think of anything to discuss. 'Say something.' What? 'Anything. It doesn't matter.' You know, you are absolutely no help. "Mr. Malfoy, do you have outside gardens as well?"

He set down his cup of tea. She seemed to have completely forgotten their conversation at breakfast, but he didn't mind. "Oh, yes. There's a lovely rose garden out that door, though it isn't much to look at this time of year. And of course, there is the classic hedge garden. I think you would find the manor a truly lovely place in spring. Perhaps you would like to continue your research over the Easter Holiday, time permitting." He saw her giving him a confused look. He chuckled softly. "While the Order as a whole tries to keep me in the dark, I do manage to keep appraised of what is going on outside the house. I have seen that the number of attacks and amount of Death Eater activity is increasing. I know the final battle is coming. Oh, don't look so surprised. I'm a survivor, and I've learned that information is the key to survival." He sighed. "I only wish I could do more."

She reached across the table and placed her hand on his. "You are doing far more than anyone had anticipated. The intelligence that you have given us has saved many lives, both Muggle and magical. And your library here is giving me plenty of new ideas."

He turned his hand over and gave hers a reassuring squeeze. "Thank you for making me feel like I'm making a difference. Are you ready to return to the library?" She was reacting exactly as he had expected. His ploys to earn her sympathy and trust were working perfectly.

*************

When Lucius returned to his room that night, he felt that he was definitely making progress. Whereas before he hadn't noticed her watching him, he had caught her on numerous occasions this evening. Yes, phase two of his plan was progressing nicely. Tomorrow morning, he would see what benefits he had reaped.

After pouring a glass of cognac, he sat back on his bed, enjoying being home. He knew it was temporary, and he would soon have to return to his cramped room at Order Headquarters, but once the Dark Lord was vanquished, he would surely be pardoned. Hermione was on his side, and she could convince Potter. He had spent the first half of the school year working to convince the adults of his trustworthiness. Ever the politician, this had been a relatively easy task.

He had an idea to help cement the adult support. Moving to his writing desk, he wrote a letter to Andromeda. He would, of course, deliver the package through Tonks. She would see that he was a man of his word.

Andromeda,

She spoke fondly of her childhood, and you in particular. Now that she is gone, I regret never giving her the opportunity to see you again. I was far too concerned with appearances.

He paused for a few moments to choose his words carefully.

Please, take your time reading through the diaries. I find that I cannot bear to open them at this time. The wounds are too fresh. I hope that you will find some comfort in them, and they will allow you a glimpse into your sister's life.

Lucius

He reread the letter and thought that it sounded sufficiently sentimental. He did not care one way or the other if his sister-in-law accepted his offer. It only mattered that he had made it.

He sneered as he evaluated his plan. Yes, his freedom seemed assured. Now, there was the matter of his future.

Hermione was the key to that future. Of course, there was also the question of his financial situation. He knew the wards were the only thing that had kept the Ministry from seizing his manor. He would naturally petition to have some of his assets returned, but he wasn't foolish enough to believe they would all be restored. He knew the Ministry would make him pay reparations to the families of his victims. Even if they only restored a portion of his assets, it would be enough. He had offshore holdings, and with time, he could regain access to them.

Shifting his thoughts to something more pleasant, he tried to decide what he had to offer Hermione as a Christmas gift. It should be something personal, but not overly ostentatious. Jewelry was out. That would be too forward. Besides, the jewelry he had available were either family heirlooms or pieces that he had purchased for Narcissa, neither appropriate. Since she revered knowledge, he decided a book or a scroll would be the perfect gift. Now, it was just a matter of choosing which one. That would be tomorrow's project.

***************

Once again, it was close to midnight when Hermione crawled into bed. She couldn't believe how luxurious the bed was. It was like sleeping on a cloud. She slid her hand under the pillow and was surprised to find a piece of parchment. Pulling the parchment out from under her pillow, she relit the lamp to see what Malfoy had written her. He must have arranged with Gupper to have the note delivered.

Miss Granger,

Lucius

She read the note several times. At first she was suspicious, but upon rereading and considering his behavior over the last couple of days, she came to believe that he was sincere. Perhaps he really had changed.

'Of course he has.' I thought I told you to go away? 'You should know by now that I don't listen to you. Someone has to tell you what is best for me.' You have no idea what is best for me. You just make your decisions with your emotions. 'And you ignore those emotions. Logic alone cannot make all your decisions.'

She turned the light off and tried to get comfortable. She wasn't going to dignify the voice with a response. She hoped that she would not have another dream like she had last night.

****************

Lucius was pleased to notice that Hermione was once again wearing the robes that had been provided. The set she had chosen today was a deep midnight blue. "Good morning, Miss Granger," he said warmly when she entered his room.

"Good morning." She wasn't sure what to call him. He had signed the note 'Lucius', but she rationalized that signing a note 'Mr. Malfoy' was rather formal. "I found your note last night. I haven't had any problems since I've been here."

"That's good to know. I hope that you feel comfortable enough to let me know if there is anything I can do for you."

She noticed that he was dressed. "Are you ready for breakfast?"

"Of course." As usual he offered to escort her. "Did you sleep well?" he asked sincerely.

"Oh, yes. I slept just fine." Thankfully, there had been no dreams last night. She wasn't sure she could have handled another night like that.

"I was concerned that you looked tired. Your room wasn't too cold, was it?"

"No. I was just up late last night."

"You don't have to stay up all night. The books aren't going anywhere, and you still have quite some time until the next term starts, though I would imagine you would want to spend Christmas with the others."

"I suppose you do have a point. I just get lost in books." She froze as they entered the library. An elaborate Christmas tree was set to one side of the fireplace.

"Miss Granger, my apologies..." His voice trailed off as he saw her move to the tree to examined the decorations.

"No, it's my fault. I made an off-handed comment to Gupper last night on how it didn't feel like Christmas without decorations." She carefully examined the enchanted crystals that lit the tree. "It's marvelous."

He smiled at the joy she found in the tree. Through her presence, he was seeing his manor as though for the first time. To him, this had always been just another seasonal decoration. Now, he saw it as the beautiful, enchanted tree that it was. He found himself reaching out to examine the decorations. "It is, isn't it?" Turning to face her, he smiled warmly. She met his gaze for several long moments, and he was just about to reach for her when she finally broke contact and went to get more books.

****************

The rest of the day, they worked in an uncomfortable silence. She concentrated on the books to keep her inner voice from talking to her. Every now and then, she would glance up at Malfoy. If their eyes met, she would quickly look away. Even meals were relatively subdued. Hermione would answer questions, but seemed lost in thought.

After dinner, Hermione abandoned her usual armchair and moved to the couch so that she could have easier access to multiple books. She was comparing two books, and found the information contradictory. Shoving one of them away, she leaned back and closed her eyes in frustration.

She opened them when she felt the couch move and saw Malfoy sitting on the far end.

"Is there something I can assist you with?" he asked gently.

She picked up the books in question and moved a little closer to him so that she could show him the passages in question. "Look here. These two books contradict each other. This could be useful information, but I have no idea what is the truth."

He took the books from her to examine them. After a few seconds consideration, he handed one of them back to her. "It has been my experience that this book is more reliable, though there is a chance they both tell some semblance of the truth. As you can imagine, the Dark Arts are carefully guarded, and some authors are not entirely truthful." He leaned over and pointed at a specific paragraph in the book he had not handed back. "I believe this paragraph serves no purpose. It was merely placed in the book to deceive the reader."

"What do you mean? The author would just write in random paragraphs?"

"Yes."

She threw her hands up in frustration. "So everything I've done the last three days has been for nothing? You let me waste my time?"

He placed his hand on her knee. "No, you didn't waste your time, Hermione. The books I chose for you were ones that I know to be accurate. Had I known you were using this book, I would have warned you."

"I've still wasted my time. I've looked in a number of books that you didn't know about. I've stayed up late the last two nights wasting my time."

She looked like she was on the verge of tears, and he instinctively wrapped his arms around her. "Let me take a look at what you've gathered and from what source. I'll help you sort through it."

"Will you, really?" she asked as she looked up into his eyes.

Using his thumb, he gently wiped the lone tear from her cheek. "I will. It should not take long. I am very familiar with the books in my collection." He continued to rub her back. "Let me help you," he whispered. Looking into her eyes, he longed to kiss her. Giving in to primal urges he thought she reciprocated, he leaned down and pressed his lips against hers. He could tell the she was initially shocked, but she quickly relaxed, and he used his tongue to pry open her lips and deepen the kiss.

When he pulled away, he affected a look of horror. "Forgive me, Miss Granger," he said quietly and swept from the room.

Hermione pressed her fingers against her lips, savoring the kiss. It was much better than she had imagined. Watching Malfoy retreat from the room, she was tempted to stop him and tell him he had nothing to apologize for, but she found she couldn't move.

******************

Lucius grinned as he walked up the stairs toward his room. He hadn't expected it to happen so quickly, but the time had been right. "Gupper!" Once the house-elf was at his side, he produced a note from his pocket and said, "Place this note under Miss Granger's pillow."

"Yes, Master," Gupper replied before disappearing to do his master's bidding.

Now, all Lucius had to hope was that she didn't immediately return to her room. If she found the note too soon, she would know that he had been planning her seduction.

A/N: Thank you very much for reading. I hope that you have found this latest installment enjoyable. Poor Hermione is learning that she really has underestimated Lucius. Of course, that's because he's being sneaky. Nothing quite like a little Slytherin manipulation, is there?

I hope you are enjoying her inner voice. I think it's a little fun part of the story. I can completely imagine her logical and emotional sides being at odds with each other. As for the 'knight in shining armor' scene, I love it even though I can't recall ever having read one of the stereotypical trashy romance novels that I was trying to model it on. I will blame Fred and George and my desire to have them contribute to the story in some way. This was the best I could do.