Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author.

A/N - Written for the Mistress Malfoy Birthday Challenge '09, and loosely based on the Lumione prompt #2. She speaks up for Lucius in the aftermath of the war, he is strangely grateful to the filthy little witch who bested his son at every turn. The only way Lucius knows how to repay her, is not with kindness but to bring her into a world she could only dream of and never realized she wanted.

--

She stared across the bed, watching the bare back of the man beside her move as he was breathing.

It had been ten years since the end of the final battle with Voldemort, and very little had changed in the Wizarding world in terms of the blood feuds between Purebloods and those of half or no prior Magical lineage. The last person she would have expected to lower his standards was the man that she had been sharing a bed with for over three months of her life. And while no magic in her family had emerged before herself, she was a different case entirely.

Shifting across the bed to close the distance between them, she slid down to rest her head on the same pillow as his, wrapping her arms around him and spooning against his back. He murmured something incoherent, but she ignored it. It wouldn't have been important anyway. Sighing softly, she let her mind wander back to the events of just three months before. She had saved his life then, and he in turn, had brought her into his world – a world she had never dreamed she would ever be a part of.

--

'Granger,' said a gruff voice from across the room, startling her to attention.

Turning, she saw that it was her boss, Mad-Eye Moody. He had come out of retirement to build Magical Law Enforcement back up to its former glory, and simply hadn't been able to go back into retirement since. She realised that everyone else in the office had paused at the sound of the older wizard's voice when he had said her name, so she quickly put down the files she had been reading over and stood from her desk. Briskly making her way to the door, she plastered a fake smile on her face for the Auror.

'How can I help you, Auror Moody?' she asked politely.

'Minister Shacklebolt wants to see you in his office as soon as possible,' he said, jerking his head in the direction of the exit.

Hermione nodded. 'Very well, may I be excused then?' she asked, and at his nod, turned away and walked out of the office.

Hermione had been working for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement for six years as their top researcher. She had gone to the Wizarding College in London and had graduated with a degree in both Potions and Charms in less than four years. After that, many sections in the Ministry had tried to procure her for themselves, but in the end, she had chosen to be an Auror. Neither Harry nor Ron worked at the Ministry with her, which she supposed was the reason why she had chosen to be an Auror in the first place.

All of her thoughts about her work distracted her enough that she hadn't even realised that she had arrived at Kingsley's office until the receptionist cleared her throat. 'Oh, I'm here to see Minister Shacklebolt about something,' Hermione stammered. 'Auror Moody said that the Minister sent for me?'

'Yes, you can go straight in,' the haughty blonde witch replied flippantly.

Rolling her eyes, Hermione walked across the foyer to the double doors that led into Kingsley's office. Pushing one of the doors open, she entered and closed it behind her gently before taking in the plush office. At first she only noticed that Kingsley was seated at his desk alone, but after a second glance around the room, she noticed that there was another seat arranged in front of the desk. It wasn't until she was nearly in front of the man that she realised it was Lucius Malfoy.

'Have a seat, Hermione,' Kingsley said calmly, as if it were perfectly normal for one of the few escaped Death Eaters to be sitting in the Minister's office.

She sat down, feeling awkward that the blonde man seated beside her was looking at her so intently. 'I have to say, I am a tad confused, Minister,' she said, casting Malfoy a look from the corner of her eye.

'I don't blame you,' Kingsley replied softly. 'Mr. Malfoy came in to see me today, fully aware that he could easily be thrown into prison just for stepping within the doors of the Ministry. However, he had a very good reason for doing so.'

'Please illuminate me,' Hermione said, turning her head to look directly at the older wizard.

'I don't expect someone like you to understand, Miss Granger,' Lucius Malfoy began. 'I wasn't spoon-fed an excuse to go around using dark curses like you. However, I did join Voldemort when I was young, and I continued to support him for a very long time.'

'Yes, I am aware of the length of time that you were loyal to the worst thing that happened to Wizarding Europe,' she said, dropping all sense of false civility.

'If you please, Miss Granger, hear out the remainder of my story,' Malfoy said with a barely-disguised sneer.

'Very well, continue,' she said curtly.

'As I was saying, I was foolish in following him for quite so long, and it wasn't until the last few months of his destruction that I came to understand that he had taken the blood feud between Purebloods and those who were not further than anyone ever expected,' he said coolly. 'He wasn't even a Pureblood himself, as you all know. In essence, Narcissa and myself knew that it was time to get out, and we left as soon as the battle was won by Potter and the rest of the Order.'

'So you ran? Is this why you haven't been arrested? You ran at the very last minute because you knew that Voldemort was a nutter, and didn't want to suffer the consequences of following a maniac?' Hermione demanded, her cheeks flushing with anger.

'I wouldn't say 'run' would be exactly the term I would use,' Lucius said calmly. 'But it had been a long time before the final battle that I myself actually got involved in any sort of Dark misconduct that wasn't just for show.'

'So you mean to say, that when you and your wife locked me and my friends in your dungeon, that was all just acting?' she said, crossing her arms in front of her.

'Essentially, yes,' the man said simply. 'I'll have you know that I was the one who prevented Bellatrix from simply killing you that day.'

'What stopped us from dying that day was Draco being Confunded,' she snapped.

'Don't be absurd, girl,' Lucius said, looking straight into her eyes. 'Do you really think that I didn't recognise you the moment that wolf dumped you onto our doorstep? Hardly.'

She sniffed, but she had to admit that he couldn't be lying. She had seen the way that Malfoy had looked at her that day and knew that she had been caught. However, she was also quite angered by the way that Lucius Malfoy chose to justify his actions. A few months of pretending followed by ten years on the run was hardly a good argument for his plea of innocence.

'Why did you call me to this office, Minister?' Hermione asked, turning to look at Kingsley finally.

'Everything he has confessed to you just now, he has said under the influence of Veritaserum,' Kingsley said. 'Look at him closely and you will see that I am telling you the truth.'

Hermione turned to Lucius and looked right into his eyes, seeing that they were glazed – just as they should be when he was under the influence of the truth serum. 'I believe you,' she answered. 'Now tell me – why am I here?'

'I need you to represent Mr. Malfoy in a trial next week,' he said simply.

Hermione looked from Kingsley to Malfoy in disbelief. 'You are seriously asking me to represent this man?' she asked in shock.

'You're the only one I know that can do it, and will do it because you know it is the right thing to do,' the Minister said simply. 'I don't want to send Malfoy to Azkaban because he truly wants to make up for his mistakes. If he is found innocent, I shall put him on parole under your care so that you can ensure that he is not practising Dark magic anymore.'

'You seem very sure that I'll want to do this,' Hermione said warily.

Kingsley smiled at her. 'You do want to do this,' he said simply. 'I'll arrange for Mr. Malfoy to remain under house arrest at Malfoy Manor. During the remainder of this week and next week until the trial, I suggest you get started on building a case.'

Hermione nodded. 'Very well,' she answered. 'I suppose I'll have to go to Malfoy Manor to talk to him then.'

From beside her, Malfoy then chose to speak up. 'I promise that nothing will harm you in Malfoy Manor whilst you are there,' he said seriously.

'Should I be concerned that something could?' she asked. 'And speaking of your worldly possessions, where is your wife, Mr. Malfoy?'

'She passed away from cancer five years ago,' he said simply. 'She had begun smoking shortly after we had left England, and as you know, magic accelerates non-magical disease, and the cancer spread throughout her lungs too fast for anyone to stop it.'

'I apologise,' she said, feeling a little awkward for being rude about Narcissa. 'I am sorry for your loss, Mr. Malfoy.'

He waved it off nonchalantly. 'There is nothing to be done about it now,' he said. 'I am here to reconnect with the only family that I have left.'

Hermione shot him a wary glance. 'You mean Draco?' she asked.

'Yes.'

'What makes you think that he will welcome you back with open arms?'

'I'm not sure,' Lucius replied with a small, but graceful shrug. 'It's simply part of my punishment if he doesn't then, isn't it?'

Kingsley chose then to make his presence know again, ending the bickering between the two. 'I hate to break this up, but Mr. Malfoy needs to be taken away, and I have a lot to be getting on with,' he said seriously. 'Now you can talk all you like over the next week until Wednesday morning just before the trial. Are we agreed?'

Hermione nodded and stood from her chair. 'If that is all, Minister?' she said.

He dismissed her with a nod and she turned on her heel, leaving the room without a backwards glance.

--

Over the next week Hermione went to Malfoy Manor for a few hours each day and collected together as much evidence as she could to make a case for the elder Malfoy. The Manor, which had been unlived in for over ten years, had been as dusty and unkempt as she had expected it to be. Draco had refused to live in the house of his ancestors and the parents who had abandoned him. The younger Malfoy had moved on and married Fleur's sister Gabrielle and worked as an Auror for the French Ministry. Hermione would see him every time she was sent on a reconnaissance operation for criminals that had fled England for the mainland.

The first time she had gone over to the Manor, Hermione had been worried that something, like the house itself, was going to open up and swallow her whole. It wouldn't have been the first time that a piece of furniture or a wall in a Pureblood's house had tried to do her harm. But as promised, Lucius kept his house under control, and had even cleared one of the downstairs studies to use as their meeting room to discuss things for his trial. His wand had been restricted to using low-level cleaning and housekeeping spells so that his time there wouldn't be too uncomfortable.

On the final evening before his trial, Lucius did not come to the door to answer when she arrived, and Hermione had entered the house alone. She had half expected the cloakroom to lock her inside as she was hanging up her winter coat inside it, but it simply remained a room with hanging space inside it. Finding her way to the study, she entered it and was surprised to find Malfoy asleep in one of the armchairs by the empty fireplace. It looked as though the fire had gone out sometime during the night, and he had slept right through and not stoked it again.

For a moment, while staring at him, Hermione let down her guard, and not a minute later, she was strung up and bound against the bookshelf by thorned vines.

'Mr. Malfoy!' she yelled, struggling against her bonds. 'Malfoy, wake up!'

After her second plea, the wizard finally jerked awake and nearly fell out of his chair. It was the least graceful thing she had seen Malfoy do since she had met him as a twelve-year-old girl. However, He recovered quickly and shot to his feet, snatching up the wand from the coffee table beside the chair and pointing it directly at her. He murmured something in a language she didn't quite understand, and immediately that vines began to retract, and released her to fall to the floor gracelessly. Lucius stepped in before she could collapse and be harmed further and caught her, leading her over to the armchair in which he had slept and gently guiding her to sit.

'I apologise for the rudeness of my house,' he said quietly. 'It's quite an old curse, so it's going to take a very talented curse-breaker to get rid of it.'

'It's alright,' she said dismissively, turning her head away when Malfoy tried to wipe the blood from her face.

The thorns had been digging into her flesh everywhere and it had taken everything in her not to scream from the pain of it. She definitely had a cut on her forehead, and many on her arms and legs. Malfoy cast a quick cleaning charm on her to get rid of the blood and cleanse the wounds before standing up and walking out of the study without another word. Left alone, Hermione pondered what had just happened. Malfoy Manor had attacked her due to an ancient anti-Muggleborn curse on the household. Malfoy obviously had no control over it while he was asleep, so she had no reason to blame him for it occurring. He had stopped the vines from choking her though, so in one way she owed him a debt.

'Miss Granger?' asked Malfoy, startling her from her thoughts.

She looked up to see he had returned and was holding a jar of healing ointment. 'Is that for me?' she asked, but immediately wanted to take it back – it was a stupid question to ask considering.

He released a sharp bark of laughter. 'Naturally,' he said smoothly, handing it over to her.

As she applied the healing balm to her wounds, Malfoy was flipping through the file that held all of the evidence to support his case. By the time she was finished with her chore, he had finally finished and it was time for them to review the Pensieve memories that Hermione had collected together from both Lucius himself and various other people that were involved. She had owled Draco asking him for his help, but the younger Malfoy had replied in the negative. She didn't blame him – she knew that it would always be a sore spot for him.

'Are you ready to look over these memories?' she asked seriously.

'Yes, get on with it,' Lucius said, gesturing at the Pensieve that she had brought with her to his house.

Sighing in minute frustration, she removed the stoppers from the glass vials filled with the memories and one by one tipped them into the swirling pool of liquid in the basin. Once they were all in, she gestured for Lucius to go in first. He leaned over the bowl carefully and fell into the memories.

--

Hermione stood waiting at the door to the courtroom, tapping her foot nervously.

Lucius Malfoy was to be escorted from his home by Mad-Eye Moody and one of the other older Aurors in the department. They were already ten minutes later than they said they would be, and she was beginning to panic a little. She was mostly certain that Lucius wasn't going to try and run, but she did have her fears that Moody was going to do something terrible to incapacitate the man. It wasn't until five minutes before the trial was set to begin that Hermione finally saw Malfoy, flanked closely by the two Aurors, walking towards her down the hall from the elevator.

'You're late, Auror Moody,' she said curtly. She really didn't like the barmy old wizard one little bit.

'There were issues at the Manor,' he said gruffly, seemingly unfazed by Hermione's attitude towards him.

'Very well,' she muttered. 'Follow me, Mr. Malfoy. I will have to debrief you as I walk you to your seat now.'

Malfoy didn't say a word as he complied with her request. They walked slowly and Hermione cast a wandless Muffliato over them so that they would have some privacy as they spoke.

'I don't trust Moody to be unbiased where you are concerned,' she hissed under her breath, despite the fact that nobody would understand what they were saying.

'Everyone knows how much Alastor Moody hates Death Eaters and Purebloods,' Lucius replied curtly. 'He's like a wild dog with an oversized bone. The reason we were late was because Moody decided he needed to do a more thorough check of my person to ensure I wasn't carrying anything I shouldn't on me. He had me strip down to my underthings.'

'You should be careful about what you say,' Hermione warned. 'Even if Mad-Eye doesn't have the most charming or approachable of personalities, he is important to the Ministry and to the Minister.'

'You don't like him either,' Lucius commented. 'I can see it in your eyes and the tone that you use with him.'

Hermione sniffed inelegantly as they arrived at the defence's bench. 'That may be so, but he is essentially my boss, and I would like to keep my job,' she answered, gesturing for Malfoy to sit.

After they were both seated, Hermione removed the muffling charm. Harry and Ron had both come to the trial that day, she knew, but as she had walked in, she had been too busy talking to Malfoy to look around for them. Neither of the boys really agreed with her decision to be Malfoy's defence as the man had caused them countless problems over the years. The courtroom was filled with the buzz of everyone chattering, but this ceased as soon as Kingsley entered and took his seat amongst the Wizengamot.

'We are gathered here today to witness the trial of one Lucius Malfoy to determine his punishment for cavorting with Death Eaters, practicing Dark magic, murder, torture and causing general disorder,' Kingsley announced. 'How do you plead, Mr. Malfoy?'

Malfoy stood from his chair. 'Guilty of all charges,' he said simply.

'You understand, Mr. Malfoy, that anything you say in this court, can and will be held against you?' Kingsley said calmly, giving Malfoy a warning look.

Hermione understood that look. It was the, "I am trying to save your sorry arse, so don't make me look bad" look. She waited for Malfoy to sit back down again before standing and preparing to defend his case. She picked up one of her folders and approached the entire Wizengamot, presenting the folder to Kingsley wordlessly.

After that, the courtroom was a flurry of arguments from both Hermione and the plaintiff, who was a haughty and rather snobby witch who had obviously been hired simply for her flare. The moment Hermione had seen her she had known that the woman was all talk, because everyone already knew what Malfoy was accused of, and that it was true. All she had done was repeat them over and over again until she had exhausted everyone. When it came time for Hermione to speak, she was calm and calculating, playing on the weaknesses of those in the Wizengamot, and even causing a few tears to be shed.

The Wizengamot then adjourned to another room to view the Pensieve memories in private, leaving the rest of the court in their seats, anxious to see what the result would be. Harry chose then to approach Hermione and Malfoy at the front while the session was temporarily on break.

'What exactly are they viewing in there?' Harry asked curiously.

'Memories of your capture in Malfoy Manor prior to the last battle, conversations between my wife and myself and memories and recounts from my former servants and house-elves,' Lucius answered.

'Do you think that it will be sufficient to prevent you from being sent to Azkaban?' the dark-haired wizard pressed even further.

Hermione decided to cut in then to stop Harry from interrogating the older man. 'I collected together all of the evidence for his case, Harry,' she said carefully. 'I personally feel that they are going to let Mr. Malfoy remain in his home on a very strict and long parole.'

'All right then,' Harry said, looking a little miffed.

He turned to walk away but Hermione caught his arm. 'Harry, I know this is difficult, but will you please trust my judgment in this case?' she pleaded softly.

Harry shook her grip off gently and nodded before turning away again and making his way back up the stairs. Hermione sighed heavily and returned to her seat, dropping into it. She understood Harry's hesitance and knew his feelings about Lucius Malfoy, but Hermione knew that the elder Malfoy was being sincere. She looked at Lucius, who was staring at her intently. His expression was almost grateful, but she waved him off anyway, slumping down in the chair a little.

'I'd rather not talk about Harry or any of my friends,' she told Malfoy simply. 'They will eventually get over this whole thing and things will go back to the way that they were before you came back into the country.'

However, before Malfoy got a chance to reply the Wizengamot finally returned, all talking amongst themselves quietly. A lot of them had what looked like expressions of reluctant acceptance on their faces, and Hermione knew that Kingsley must have stepped in and had something to say to all of the Wizengamot to direct them into believing that Lucius was a changed man. Silence fell over the courtroom once more, and Kingsley cleared his throat before speaking.

'We have now viewed the memories from the Pensieve in the other room, and the entire Wizengamot has now come to a decision on Mr. Malfoy's fate,' he said calmly. 'All of those who are for Lucius Malfoy being sent to Azkaban Prison, raise your hand now.'

There was some uncomfortable coughing in the courtroom as half a dozen people raised their hands, looking around at their peers, wondering why they were the only ones with hands raised.

'And now, all that are opposed to Mr. Malfoy going to Azkaban, please raise your hand,' he prompted.

The remaining thirty or forty members raised their hands, including Kingsley himself. This time, the murmuring began in the stands behind where Hermione and Lucius sat at the defendant's table. It took a few moments after Kingsley commanded for total silence that they stopped chattering.

'Mr. Malfoy, the majority of the Wizengamot has ruled in your favour. You are free to go provided you comply with the rules of the three year probation that will undergo as a part of your punishment. You will remain under Auror Granger during this time, and will agree to the bi-weekly checkups at your place of residence,' the Minister announced. 'Court is adjourned.'

The rumble of talking and the scraping of seats against wood began as everyone stood up and began to leave the courtroom. The Daily Prophet was going to be all over the story like a rash in the weeks following, and Hermione imagined that Malfoy was going to be spending a lot of time indoors and out of the eye of the public lest he be harassed to death. Hermione wasn't so sure that Azkaban would have been worse for him. At least there he would be left alone.

'Congratulations on being declared a very nearly free man, Mr. Malfoy,' Hermione said, turning to him and proffering her hand.

'Thanks to your efforts,' he said, taking her hand and bringing it to his lips before brushing a suave kiss over her knuckles. 'I will be eternally grateful to you for this.'

'Despite my lineage?' she challenged, pulling her hand away quickly and blushing.

'You might not have a prior magical background, Hermione Granger, but you are nothing like I expected you would be,' he admitted a little hesitantly.

Hermione's eyebrow shot up at that, and he shrugged. They walked out of the courtroom together and parted ways at the door. As she walked towards the door to the elevator, she paused and looked over her shoulder to see Malfoy talking to Arthur Weasley. They didn't seem to be arguing or exchanging any nasty words, so Hermione didn't bother walking back to check on them. Stepping into the elevator when it arrived she sighed. Even after the trial Malfoy was going to be a job for her. Bi-weekly checkups? What had the Minister been thinking?

She mused, however, that it wouldn't be so bad. After all, Lucius Malfoy was fairly easy on the eyes for a man of fifty-five.

--

To be continued…