Disclaimer: It all belongs to J.K. Rowling. I merely enjoy playing with her creations.

Rating: K

Authors Note: I'm reposting the chapters of Dove Wisdom as seperate fics. Thanks for reading!

Title: Sometimes One Smile Means More Than A Dozen Roses

It is odd, Hermione thought as she fingered a blood red rose, how Ron can send me dozens of roses that he can ill afford, and I yet I feel nothing. I say 'thank you', and nothing else, yet he still believes that he can 'win me' as he puts it. I am not a prize to be fought over! I can think for myself, I do not need a man to feel fulfilled in life. She spun around abruptly and grabbed the bouquet of roses and their box.

"I hate roses!" Hermione cried as she threw them out of the back door and into the mud in the garden, not caring as they spilled from their wrapping in disarray.

She slumped against the doorway, her hand over her mouth as she felt futile tears sting her eyes. I want to be with someone who appreciates who I am. Someone who doesn't want to change me to suit him. But, most of all, I want love. I want a love so strong that my heart breaks if he is not in the room with me.

Hermione uncovered her mouth and stood, shutting the door on the roses without a second thought. I cannot think about this right now. I have to get ready for the Ministry Ball.

She pulled a pale pink, almost colorless dress out of her closet and hung it up in easy reach. Noting the time, she took a quick shower, did her hair, then slipped into the dress. "Harry will be here any minute, 'Mione, hurry up." She muttered to herself, trying to find a shoe.

Finally she was ready to go, and was waiting in her living room when her fireplace burned green, and Harry's head popped out of it. "Listen, 'Mione, I'm not going to be able to make it, Draco's being an absolute ponce about his clothes and won't let me leave the house. Is it alright if I send Lucius over to take you? He's getting annoyed at having to deal with his son, and he's ready to go now. So, how about it?" Hermione agreed quickly. She hated being late. "Good, he'll be right over. Hold tight." With a wink and a smile, Harry was gone.

Hermione stood and gathered her things, walking towards her front door as she did, so she was right there when the door bell rang. Checking her appearance, she put a smile onto her face and opened the door.

Lucius was tapping his foot. It was an awful habit, and he shouldn't be indulging himself, but with Draco acting like a damned girl- even though that was insulting to females-and Potter acquiescing to his every whim, Lucius was getting annoyed. Very annoyed.

So he tapped his foot.

Luckily, Potter knew the signs of a very impatient Lord Malfoy, and came up with an excellent plan. "Hey, Lucius. Would you mind taking Hermione to the Ministry? I told her I would but as you can see-" he shrugged his shoulders, as his hands were presently over- flowing with Draco's clothing. "So, will you?" The pleading look Potter gave him inclined Lucius to say yes- if only because Potter never begged- but he had one question first.

"Why doesn't she Apparate herself there?"

Harry, struggling to find his wand under the piles of clothing in his hands, answered with "She splinched herself the first time she did it. She swore never to do it again. Are you going? I need to tell 'Mione so she knows to expect you."

The head of the Malfoy family shrugged. "Of course I will take her. It would be my pleasure."

Harry, having found his wand and levitated all of the clothing, grinned. "Good. Let me get you set up."

Lucius had just Apparated to the safe zone at the end of the block that Ms. Granger lived on when he noticed the commotion outside of her house. He pulled his wand out of his cane as he silently blessed the younger woman for choosing to live in a Wizarding neighborhood. Advancing calmly on the loud scene, he came to a halt at their backs. "Ms. Granger. Is there anything I could assist you with?"

His steady voice made the two combatants turn to face him. "Hello, Lord Malfoy," Hermione said, greeting him gratefully with a gentle yet pleading smile, "Ronald was just leaving." The red- head spun around to face Hermione, completely forgetting Lucius Malfoy's existence as he cajoled the witch.

"Ah, come on, 'Mione. Let me take you to this Ministry thing. You know you want to go with me."

The begging was only making Hermione more angry at him than ever, but she managed to say, quite calmly, "I already told you, Ronald, that Mr. Malfoy is going to be escorting me to the Ball. He is here, he is ready to go, and it is rude of me to keep him waiting." She made as if to walk past the persistent man, but he had other plans.

The red- head reached out to grab her arm, but found himself frozen as the curse took effect. Hermione breathed a sigh of relief as she turned to walk away from the hexed man, saying "I'm sorry you had to see that, Mr. Malfoy." He curved his lips minutely in satisfaction as he surveyed his handy- work. Putting his wand back in it's proper place, he extended a hand to the young lady and gave her a slight smile as she placed her hand in his.

As he led her towards to the Apparition Point, he glanced down at the top of her head and said, "Please, do call me Lucius. Lord Malfoy, or even Mr. Malfoy, is far to unwieldy to be using all night."

She blushed a little, and peered up at him through her lashes. "Alright then, Lucius." She said his name slowly, as if trying it out on her tongue.

A small shiver raced up his spine when she said his name, and he stared at her in hidden astonishment. No woman had had that effect on him since his wife had died. What does this mean? He asked himself, then pushed the thought away as they came upon the appointed area.

Hermione was pulled out of her thoughts when they stopped moving. Seeing that they were at the Apparation Point, she turned to look at Lucius, and froze as their eyes connected. He gazed down at her like he was reading her soul through her eyes, and her breath caught as his lips arched into a dazzling smile, blinding her with the secret beauty of the expression.

Hermione smiled back reflexively, marveling at the man before her. He was polite, considerate, and quick to rescue damsels in distress. His smile was as elegant as the rest of him, but warm and soft at the same time. She stepped into his arms, and as they Apparated away, she thought that one of his rare, exquisite smiles was worth any dozen of Ron's common weeds.

Mwahahaha! I have enslaved your senses (just like Snape… hehehe), admit it and leave a review (imagine a winsome smile right now… XD).

Thanks!