There was a hotel worker waiting for him at the apparation point, they both knew, but that didn't stop him from leaning in to cup her face and kiss her one last time. She chuckled ever so delicately and let him, answering the kiss before gracefully taking a step backwards.

He stepped back, bit his lip, and grinned at her. "It was a pleasure, Lady Black, I'll contact you if I'm ever in the city again."

"I'll hold you onto that promise, Joshua." Narcissa Black answered him, turning around as soon as he'd apparated away. He had been a truly lovely boy, she mused to herself as she walked to the bar of the hotel and ordered a cocktail.

She had been in Paris for nearly six years now, having left as soon as her and Lucius' trials had been finished. Draco had been buried after the battle and Lucius next to him only two and a half years later: suicide in azkaban. Narcissa had never returned to England again.

There was a mansion belonging to the Malfoys near the coast of France where she had stayed for a year after the battle. From there on she had discovered the large wizarding community in the heart of Paris — a community that had not been involved in the war and therefore was free for her to make a new impression.

It had been four years since she had acquired this new lifestyle: Narcissa had come across the interest in it through acquaintances and the first time she had seen one of them with a witch so much younger than themselves she had been shocked.

Now here she was. At times it disgusted her how far she had fallen from what she once was supposed to be, but that was only rare these days. Narcissa would meet a witch or wizard, usually in their twenties, and make arrangements. In return for pleasant company, a good conversation, and a good looking companion on her arm she gave them anything their heart could desire for as long as it lasted. She always made sure that was never longer than a few months — careful not to get attached.

Narcissa's thoughts were rudely interrupted. "What are you doing here?" Came from behind her, filled with accusation. Instinctively her hand rested around the wand in her sleeve as she slowly turned to face the voice in question.

That was certainly not a witch she had expected here. She raised an eyebrow and took her time to take another sip of her cocktail and look the girl over. "I could certainly ask you the same, miss Granger."

oOo

She had thought she would be safe here. Away from England, away from her cocon of pureblood elite, away from everything she had once known and loved: away from her past. How had she been found here? Had people been looking for her, had something happened?

Narcissa narrowed her eyes at the young witch when she didn't immediately respond. "Miss Granger? What are you doing here, and why did you find me?"

"I- I didn't find you. I mean, obviously I did but.. not on purpose. I wasn't trying to find you or anything, I just ran into you. I'm on holiday, needed a break from everything at home… What are you here for? Who was that guy?"

Perhaps she preferred it when miss Granger was silent. Narcissa resisted the urge to sigh at the rambling of words, it was times like this she missed her elite. "Much like yourself, I needed a break from everything in England."

She eyed the witch in front of her with a twinkle of amusement in her eyes, if she had to ask who Joshua was she couldn't have realized who most of the guests of the hotel were. "You do not know who this hotel mostly hosts, do you miss Granger?"

While it would be wrong to say it was all the hotel functioned as, it would be a correct estimate that a quarter of the guests here had their rooms paid for by others. It came with the price range, she suspected.

Hermione shook her head slowly and Narcissa nodded. "Follow me." She commanded, first ordering two more cocktails before leading the brunette towards two seats in the lobby. "Sit."

She then waited until a waiter had brought two cocktails and looked at the witch again. "The man you saw, Joshua, was here on holiday. He stayed for three weeks, looked for an arrangement here and found it with me."

"An… arrangement?" Narcissa could see something beginning to dawn in Hermione's eyes.

"Yes, miss granger, please do not make it a habit to repeat me. An arrangement. In return for his company, I pay for his stay in the hotel, his meals, his gifts." She delicately raised her cocktail glass towards Hermione and took a sip.

The brunette witch widened her eyes a little. "His company. You mean he's an expensive whore?"

Immediately Narcissa's light-blue eyes hardened. "No. I do not, nor would ever lower myself to, pay someone to sleep with me, miss Granger. I reward him mostly in the form of stay and gifts, and only for his presence and conversation."

Hermione looked down at her glass and Narcissa was pleased to see she blushed. She took a sip of her own cocktail and looked at the blonde witch, the surprise still clear in her eyes.

"I take it that is not what you approached me for, miss Granger?"

Narcissa knew very well that was the last thing that had been on Hermione's mind when she approached her, but it was too easy to play a little with the obviously slightly uncomfortable witch in front of her. A pleasant way to stop herself from wondering about England as well. Those were not memories she wanted to revisit.

"I- no. Not at all, ms. Black… You mean you do this, whatever you call it, with girls too?" Hermione stammered, her cheeks instantly turning a shade of red.

"Certainly, miss Granger."

Narcissa was careful not to show her slight embarrassment at the direct question, that was something else she had grown a lot more comfortable with after her leave from England: her previously so carefully hidden away attraction to witches.

At least she was not the only one to be suffering from a rather awkward silence, she noticed pleased. Hermione refused to look at her. "I doubt that was what you had expected then, miss Granger? For both that question and my reasoning for being here."

"I don't think anyone would've expected this, ms. Black." She chuckled nervously and Narcissa nodded at the cocktail, the girl took a sip. "There are many theories as to where you are, one more outrageous than the other. I don't think being a sugar mummy is on anyone's list."

"That's an awful sounding term."

"Then why do you do this?"

"That is a personal reasoning, do not ask."

Narcissa gestured for a waiter and ordered a glass of water, giving Hermione a questioning look to ask if she needed anything else. The younger witch shook her head, she noticed she'd been staring at her while she was talking to the waiter with a curious look. "Then why do they do it, can I ask that?"

"The chance to roam Paris, free of charge in the most expensive restaurants and being gifted anything to their heart's desire, on the arm of a gorgeous witch? Not to mention, not many wish to turn down some financial aid. Life is expensive." Narcissa drawled, smirking when she saw Hermione's eyes looking her up and down.

When Hermione looked up at her again she made sure to meet her eyes and her smirk widened when the girl blushed. "I didn't mean to — I'm sorry."

"You did not believe me when I said 'gorgeous' then? Changed your mind?"

It was too easy and too much of an amusing way to pass the time. Gryffindors never changed did they? Narcissa could still remember just how easily flustered the ones in her own Hogwarts years had been. They were far too much driven by their emotions.

"Don't bother, miss Granger. It is quite alright."

She got up from her seat and put down some galleons for the drinks. "I assume you are staying here? Perhaps I will see you again tomorrow morning."

With that Narcissa gracefully walked out of the lobby, leaving a very confused Hermione Granger at their table.

oOo

Hermione couldn't quite believe what had just happened. Running into Narcissa Black hadn't been on her to do list in the first place, but this was also not at all the woman she'd expected her to be.

Losing your family and moving out of the country changed a person, she assumed. Still, from what she remembered of Narcissa Malfoy during and right after the war, this wasn't the same woman.

There was still the haughty, arrogant, air around her, so much she hadn't changed, she still talked in a way that made whoever was on the other end of the conversation feel as if they knew nothing at all. But Hermione had never imagined someone like Lucius Malfoy's widow to be having any kind of civil conversation with her in the first place.

Hermione finished her cocktail slowly, taking her time to look around the lobby at the other witches and wizards. She noticed now indeed that there were more 'couples' — were they actual couples? She'd forgotten to ask — that had a considerable age gap between them.

Her mind went back to Narcissa Black.

Now that the woman was gone there were many things Hermione wanted to ask her. Most of all, was whatever ms. Black was doing these days the only purpose of this hotel. She suddenly felt very awkward in the hotel lobby.

Then also, she had seemed genuinely worried when she'd thought she'd been found by an english witch. How had she been avoiding any witch or wizard from England until now? Surely there were more Brits in Paris than just the two of them.

What puzzled Hermione was why ms. Black would be so concerned about being found. As far as she knew the ministry had no interest looking for her, despite her past she was no longer a wanted criminal. The press only reported on her once a year, on the anniversary of the battle of hogwarts.

They all had memories in England, she assumed, and ms. Black had lost most her family there. It likely was nothing more than just to avoid her past.

oOo

At breakfast the next morning Hermione scanned the room to find no tables available, it was obvious she hadn't been the only one with the bright idea to have breakfast as early as possible.

She hadn't even had the time yet to think about whether she'd have breakfast somewhere else or wait for a table when her eyes met Narcissa Black's, she was seated at a table for two on her own and Hermione hesitated for a moment.

Ms. Black made a small gesture to the seat opposite of her and turned back to her french toast. It wasn't like she had anything to lose, was it? Hermione figured and made her way through the dining hall to sit with the other witch.

"Thank you. I had no idea it'd be so crowded already, so early in the morning." She said with an apologetic smile, somehow feeling like she was interrupting Narcissa despite being invited over.

A delicate wave of Narcissa's hand dismissed the apology. "Usually it is not, but today there is a group leaving to Belle-Île-en-Mer for the weekend. The tourists tend to leave quite early."

They ate in silence, Hermione's eyes glancing up at the older witch every now and then. One time she glanced up to find herself meeting ms Black's eyes, who raised an eyebrow at her with an amused smile.

"What are your plans for today, if I may ask?"

Hermione looked up at the unexpected question, shrugging once. "The Louvre, maybe. Then find out what else I must see while I'm here."

"Which will be for how long?"

"I think I'll stay here for two weeks."

Ms. Black nodded and gestured for a waiter to refill her jus d'orange. "The Louvre is not a place to go unprepared. You will waste your money and not see anything you actually want to."

Again she spoke in a way that made Hermione feel utterly clueless. She hadn't thought about that. "Then what do you suggest?"

"With risk of sounding like any inexpensive tourist guide, get the eiffel tower done today. You are up early and can apparate there straight away; it will not yet be crowded with other tourists nor will it bother you for the rest of your trip."

Hermione frowned a little but shrugged. She didn't have any other plans set up for today, might as well do what ms Black suggested. "Bother me? What do you mean?" She asked anyway.

"The curse of tourism. The popular sights such as the eiffel tower, the notre dame, arc de triomphe, they always disappoint. Yet you will always feel obligated to visit them the first time you are in the city."

She was a little taken aback by that. How could something as beautiful as the famous Eiffel Tower or the Notre Dame possibly be a disappointment? She didn't feel like arguing her point now however and just nodded. "I guess so."

Ms. Black continued with her breakfast and Hermione studied her curiously. She had changed drastically — that much was obvious — but it was interesting to see from the way she carried herself to simply her mannerisms when eating she was still the well born heiress she'd always been. Their eyes met when ms. Black looked up and she froze momentarily.

Her eyes were a vivid shade of blue, she noticed before looking down quickly. They were quite beautiful.

"What are your plans then? You're up quite early as well." Hermione asked.

"Nothing in particular."

She didn't know what made her say what she did next but the surprise in those blue eyes made up for her own impulsiveness immediately.

"Would you join me to the Eiffel tower?"

oOo

They left soon after breakfast. Narcissa apparated the pair of them to a narrow alleyway close to the eiffel tower and — after having checked for any muggles around them — drew her wand with practiced elegance.

Even years after having left her high class society; after falling from grace so deeply; hidden away in a muggle alley with a muggleborn girl; she had never forsaken the lessons she'd been taught. Any movement she made was always made with her old lessons in mind.

Wordlessly she transfigured her robes. Her new attire — hand crafted by the finest tailors in magical France — was just as much a witches' robe as what she'd been wearing, but could easily be mistaken for a particularly wealthy muggle woman's coat. The unmistakable awe in miss Granger's eyes was all the validation she required for it.

"Do not be mistaken, it is still a magical robe."

The smile gracing her lips when she looked at miss Granger was — although genuine — just as carefully crafted as the rest of her movements: a sense of control over herself that even with this woman in muggle Paris she didn't dare leave behind. "Are you ready for the Eiffel Tower, miss Granger?"

"I wouldn't have expected anything else, ms. Black. And yes, definitely."

Miss Granger's smile was full of excitement. By the time Narcissa had put her wand away again the younger witch was already walking out of the alley.

She didn't know why she'd been asked to accompany her to the tower, but as much as she'd warned her for the disappointment she also never did miss an opportunity to see it. Narcissa didn't fool herself into believing it lived up to it's grande reputation among tourists, but a pretty sight it was without a doubt.

Miss Granger was waiting for her near the mainstreet, when she'd caught up with her Narcissa shook her head with a teasing sound of disapproval. "Here I thought I had been forgotten already."

"Sorry," the girl said with a sheepish smile, "but look at it!"

They weren't close enough to get a good look at it yet but that didn't seem to bother miss Granger at all. Narcissa gently took the younger witch by her upper arm and guided her through the streets until they were standing on top of the balcony like setting in front of the tower. "Now look at it." She told her and pretended not to notice the eye roll she got in response.

She looked at the Eiffel Tower herself and after a few moments smiled in a relaxed manner. Regardless of her belief that the beauty of it was often exaggerated there was still something about it — Narcissa had never been quite able to put her finger on it — that made her feel at peace in a way she didn't often experience.

A reaffirmation of sorts that she was no longer in Britain but here — where she belonged — in the heart of Paris, away from everything she had so desperately needed to be away from.

Movement next to her pulled her away from her musings and she looked at miss Granger with another practiced, polite smile. "It is far too misty to have a proper view at this moment. I suggest you come back later today if you wish to go to the top."

oOo

"So, Miss Granger, what is the true reason you are taking a sudden holiday — on the ministry's expense, nonetheless?" Narcissa asked over a glass of wine the next day, her eyes betraying a genuine interest to the answer of her question.

They had spent the entire last day together, after their brief visit to the Eiffel Tower Narcissa had shown her around the shopping district in Paris and then taken her out to lunch. She hadn't bought anything herself, but she'd been just as content window shopping.

Today had been no different: Narcissa had taken her to see the notre dame and then they'd walked through the Luxembourg Gardens. It seemed to her that without actually agreeing on it, they'd become travel partners for the time being.

Hermione shrugged uncomfortably at the question; she'd left in a hurry when Kingsley told her, hadn't even wanted to face her friends. Why should she be talking to Narcissa Black about it?

She didn't know. Even so, she did. "Kingsley thought it would be good for me to take a break. I have a tendency to take on more than I should, people have warned me before."

Narcissa looked at her with a hint of understanding.

They were sitting on the sofa in Narcissa's hotel room that she refused to admit was larger than her apartment at home. Hermione's leg pressed softly against Narcissa's, despite the sofa being large enough to easily let them sit apart.

Something about this woman, perhaps the most unsettling thing there was about her, made her so comfortable; made her want to talk about it when she'd refused to with anyone else. It both frightened and relieved her.

Hermione began to talk.

"Since the war I've kept moving jobs, I can't find anything that's- that's enough. I try to keep busy, to distract myself from the war, so next to any job I have I start a million side projects."

She wasn't making much sense, hearing herself talking told her that much. Narcissa didn't seem to mind as she listened intently, a tender hand Hermione hadn't noticed moving now rested on top of her own. She smiled at the gesture.

"It's like I can't handle the idea of doing the same thing for too long. I want to keep busy, but then there are days where it feels like a chore to even get out of bed and I end up falling behind at everything.

I want to do it all at once, so when I don't do anything for a day I feel awful about it. Kingsley put a stop to it, he arranged the hotel for me. Told me to take it easy for a while, until I feel ready to get back to work or make another decision, the ministry pays for my basic needs. As if I'm on sick leave."

Narcissa's fingers tightened around her hand for a moment and when she looked up at her there was a kind smile on her lips. Any awkwardness Hermione might have felt about opening up to her so quickly melted away the moment she saw that.

"It's not such an odd response to trauma, really. Though I'm rather impressed you managed it for so many years." She talked softly, genuine respect sounding through her voice that made Hermione both flustered and a little proud of herself. "Kingsley made a good call, still." Narcissa added.

"Yeah, he did…" she admitted with a shy shrug. "So… this," Hermione gestured to the room around her, "is your own response to trauma, then?"

It was a bold question, she knew that all too well, and part of her hadn't really anticipated an actual answer. She didn't get one either: Narcissa's expression darkened as if warning her she'd crossed a line there.

Nevertheless her answer surprised her. "Perhaps we'll continue this later."

oOo

The next morning Narcissa took her out for brunch. To Hermione's surprise, she was the one to revisit last night's discussion.

"A while ago I met a witch in a rather similar situation as you." She started, successfully capturing Hermione's attention. "She had recently lost her mother, you see. Since then nothing was enough to distract her from it, she didn't know what to do with herself anymore. She'd lost her job because she failed to stay focused on it for too long."

Hermione nodded to show she was listening while she was still working on a bite of toast and then looked up at Narcissa. "What happened to her, after that?"

"She stayed with me for a little over two months, figuring out what it was she needed and wanted out of a job for it to work out. Eventually I pulled a few strings from old business ties of Lucius and got her a job at a research facility in Finland, where she lived. It doesn't pay a lot, but it's the only job that managed to keep her focus for the past years. Every now and then I'll spring in to help her afford rent and such."

That settled it for her. In no way was this witch the same Narcissa Black everyone knew in England.

"That's… Incredibly generous of you." Hermione told her and she was sure Narcissa could hear the surprise in her voice. "Sorry, I just- hadn't expected that?"

She didn't say anything in response.

"What are these extra projects you take on when your job is not fulfilling enough?"

Hermione shrugged at the question. Over the years she'd done a lot of different things, most of them having to do with either personal research projects or helping house elves and other creatures; a lot of projects were left unfinished if they weren't of much importance and she hated to admit that still. "Research, mostly. Advocacy work as well."

"There are no positions at the ministry to do with advocacy?" Narcissa looked at her as if she didn't quite believe that, and correctly so.

Hermione shook her head quickly. "Oh no, there are. I worked at the department of regulation and control of magical creatures for nearly a year, but as much as I loved it it- just like with the other jobs, it wasn't enough."

She could feel her cheeks burning with embarrassment now and she looked down at her plate, all at once feeling like a child again in front of this witch who must think she was being ridiculous.

To her surprise, slim fingers wrapped themselves around her wrist in a gesture so gentle that she couldn't believe it was coming from a witch so well-known for her frigid personality. "Kingsley was correct then, you merely need time to figure out what would be enough. For how long is he paying for your stay here?"

"Two weeks," Hermione replied after a moment, a little preoccupied with the fact that she was still holding her hand gently.

Narcissa nodded and let go of her hand. She reached into her clutch and placed — to Hermione's surprise — a few euro bills on the table. Either she had no idea of the amount of money she was giving the restaurant, or this brunch was far more expensive than it ought to have been.

"When those two weeks are over, do feel free to stay."

Hermione was given a meaningful look but before she had had the chance to think about what the meaning of it was, Narcissa spoke again. "Do finish your breakfast, the french toast is remarkable here."

With that she was left alone and only then it began to dawn on her what the other witch had suggested. To stay in Paris — perhaps much like that other girl she'd mentioned — on Narcissa's costs.

She tried to banish the thought at once. She couldn't possibly agree to such a thing, could she? It was ridiculous.

But the seed had been planted.