Secret Santa for: Sam (HPSlashLuv)
Prompts: Lucius/Hermione; Mine by Taylor Swift
New Year's Resolutions: Write a Cross-Generation Romance; 50 One-Shots; Write at least one oneshot (1,000-5,000 words) in every genre listed on the site
Word Count: 1836
The Best Thing That's Ever Been Mine
~Do you remember, we were sittin' there, by the water?
You put your arm around me, for the first time~
Hermione brought her legs close towards her as she sat by the lake which was on the grounds of Malfoy Manor. Three weeks had passed by since she had agreed to go on a date with Lucius Malfoy, of all people. Hermione still couldn't believe how much the man had changed since the end of the great war.
A smile crossed her face as, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lucius walking towards her . She noticed that he wore a slight frown on his face which suggested that his talk with Draco, after she had left, hadn't gone very well.
Hermione had always known that, when the time came to tell her former classmate about their relationship, there was a chance he wouldn't take it too well. What she hadn't expected was the sudden outpour of rage. When she had left, Draco had been ranting about how Lucius was disrespecting his mother. Hermione had wanted to stay by Lucius' side, but he had silently urged her to leave, and so she had decided to take a walk around the grounds—eventually settling down by the lake.
Even though she knew what answer to expect, Hermione asked, "How did it go, Lucius?" as he sat down next to her on the grass… something the man he was before the end of the war would have wrinkled his nose in disgust at.
"Not as I had hoped," Lucius admitted, placing his arm around her waist. "But I have faith that he will come around eventually. Draco just needs time to get used to the idea."
Hermione leant in towards Lucius, settling her head in the crook of his neck.
"I hope so," Hermione sighed. "But at the end of the day, your relationship with Draco is more important. If it comes to it, I won't fight you if you decide to end our relationship."
"No," Lucius protested, lifting Hermione's head so he could gaze into her yes. "Draco is a grown man, and if it is his problem if he can't accept us. You are the best thing to happen to me in a long time and I will be dammed if I let my son stand in our way."
~Flash forward, and we're takin' on the world together
And there's a drawer of my things at your place~
Hermione tossed the last remaining item of clothing from her drawer onto her bed and smiled to herself. She couldn't wait to see it full of her boyfriend's clothes, just like she had one with hers at Lucius' house.
She turned around to her bed and began to find new homes for her clothes whilst humming a quiet tune to herself.
It was almost a year now that she had been dating Lucius, and Hermione felt that she could safely say that she had never felt so fulfilled or content in a relationship. If that wasn't good enough, Draco had finally started to accept her as Lucius' girlfriend. And to top things off, she had just been offered a promotion at work: she was now Deputy Head of the Department of Magical Co-operation.
Life couldn't be better for her.
A quiet crack signalled Lucius' arrival. Hermione placed the last item of her clothing into a different drawer, and made her way out of her bedroom and into the living area.
"Lucius," Hermione said, greeting him with a hug. "I have the most wonderful news."
"I'm intrigued," Lucius replied, smiling as he sat down on her beige couch and crossing his legs.
"I got the promotion at work!" Hermione exclaimed.
"I told you that you were worried about nothing, didn't I?" Lucius asked, a smug expression crossing his face.
"You did," Hermione laughed, recalling how she hadn't want to jinx her chances by being overly-confident about prospect of being promoted. "Moving on, I have something I'd like to show you in the bedroom."
"It's a bit early, love, but lead the way," Lucius said, standing up with a lustful look in his eyes. "I might be a little older but I can still get it up with the best of them, and I can't wait to see which sexy number you have prepared for me."
Hermione slapped Lucius on the shoulder. "You're so insatiable," she laughed. "How is it you only have one son?"
"I'm only insatiable with you," Lucius whispered, wrapping his arms around Hermione's waist. "So, you had something to show me?"
"Mind out of the gutter, Lucius," Hermione told him, wriggling out out of her boyfriend's arms. "Close your eyes and follow me."
"You're the boss," Lucius said, winking before following Hermione's instructions and taking her hand.
Hermione smiled as she guided Lucius through to her bedroom, checking every so often to make sure he wasn't peeking—much to her surprise, he wasn't.
She came to a halt in front of the half open drawer, and turned Lucius so that he was facing it.
"Okay, you can open your eyes now," Hermione said, releasing his hand.
"An empty drawer?" Lucius said in a questioning tone.
"Well, I figured it makes sense," Hermione answered. "I have a drawer for my clothes at your place; it's only right that you have some space at mine."
"What would make more sense is for you to move in with me… permanently," Lucius informed her, smiling.
"What about Draco?" Hermione asked. "He's only just accepted our relationship. I can't imagine he will be thrilled at the idea of us living together."
"I have said it before, and I will say it again," Lucius replied. "Draco is a grown man. Plus, if he has a problem with it, then I will happily inform him about how much I deplore the fact that he recently rekindled his relationship with that money grabbing Parkinson girl. I have bitten my tongue for too long in regards to her."
Hermione placed her hand gently on Lucius' shoulder.
"You'll only push him further into her arms if you do that," Hermione said softly. "And remember, not so long ago he was the one who disapproved. Try as you did to hide it, I could sense how much that upset you. If Draco isn't comfortable with us—"
"Hermione, don't finish that sentence," Lucius commanded. "If Draco has a problem with us living together, he will get over it… eventually."
"Well, if you're sure—"
"I am," Lucius said, placing his hand on Hermione's chin and tilting it upwards, and kissing her chastely on the lips. "Move in with me, Hermione."
It was a command, not a request, and Hermione recognised that—not that it would have made a difference to her answer.
"Yes," she replied, nodding her head. "I would love to move in with you, Lucius."
~I ran out, crying, and you followed me out into the street
Braced myself for the goodbye~
Hermione turned in the bed and reached out to snuggle closer to Lucius, but she was met by a cold space. Her eyes fluttered open and she sat up. She scanned the bedroom, searching for her boyfriend, but she couldn't see him anywhere.
Noticing that her mouth was rather dry, Hermione swung her legs out of the bed and made her way towards the kitchen for a glass of water.
As she reached the bottom of the grand staircase, Hermione heard voices coming from the lounge. Intrigued, she slowly made her way towards the door which was left open a crack.
With her hand placed on the door handle, she was ready to push it open and announce her presence.
"Father, what I'm saying is you have to choose," she heard a voice, which could only belong to Draco, say.
"Can't I have both?" the voice of Lucius replied softly.
"No."
It didn't take a genius to figure out what they were talking about. They were discussing her. Hermione backed away from the door, swiping away a tear. Lucius had told her that Draco was okay with their relationship now, that he accepted her, and she had been foolish enough to believe it.
Knowing that Lucius would never make the choice himself, Hermione decided to make it for him. She couldn't allow him to have to choose between her and his son.
She took her wand out of her dressing gown pocket and flicked it so she was wearing some warmer clothes and shrugged her coat on. And with another flick of her wand, her bags were packed next to her.
"I'm sorry, Lucius," she whispered quietly. "It's for the best."
Hermione opened the front door and levitated her luggage in front of her. She drew her coat closer around her as she walked out and began to make her way towards the edge of the grounds. For the first time since she moved in, the wards Lucius had placed on the manor annoyed her.
Just a few more paces and she would be able to Apparate to Harry's house. She knew he wouldn't mind her turning up out of the blue.
"Hermione, where are you going?" Lucius' voice called.
Hermione turned around and saw him quickly closing in on her. She had hoped to avoid this and slip away quietly.
"I'm saving you from making an agonising choice," she answered, wiping away her tears.
"What choice?" Lucius asked, frowning.
"A choice between me and your family," Hermione replied. "I heard you and Draco talking. I know he was asking you to choose."
"Did you hear anything else?"
"I didn't need to, Lucius."
A figure approached behind Lucius and cleared his throat.
"Father, make your choice and tell her," he requested, holding out two boxes.
Lucius turned to face his son and grabbed one of the boxes.
"Hermione. Beautiful, smart, witty, Hermione," he sighed. "From the moment you agreed to go on a date with me, I—I felt like the luckiest man alive… and if you tell anyone that I will vehemently deny it."
Hermione chuckled to herself as she realised what was about to happen.
"Over the last year, I have fallen deeply in love with you, and now I have a question to ask you." Lucius got down on one knee and flipped open the box he was holding. "Hermione Granger, will you consent to be my wife?"
Hermione cast her eyes over to the observing Draco who gave her a curt nod.
"Yes, I will," she answered.
"Perfect," Lucius said, placing the ring on Hermione's finger. "Now let's get back inside where it's warm and open a bottle of Ogden's Finest."
Together, with Draco, they walked back up towards the manor with Hermione's luggage floating in front of them.
"You're the best thing that's ever been mine, Hermione," Lucius muttered, kissing her on the forehead. "I love you."
"I love you too."
~Do you believe it?
We're gonna make it now
And I can see it~