Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize that belongs to the lovely J.K Rowling…How I wished I did own it though…wishful thinking! Haha

Chapter One:

Two-hundred and sixty weeks. One-thousand, eight-hundred, and twenty six days. Forty-Three thousand, eight-hundred, and twenty four hours. Two-million, six-hundred twenty-nine thousand, four-hundred and forty minutes. No matter how he counted it, no matter how he thought it, the time always came out to be the same. Five years, five incredibly long years. Five years wasting away in the dingy ten by ten cell; with its moss caked bricked walls, dirt covered floors and rusted iron bars. How many days had he spent counting the amount of bricks, the occasional spider dashing across the wall before burrowing its way into a pin sized hole? How many times had he used his foot to push the dirt aside until the solid concrete floor showed below once more?

It had been years since the Dementors guarded the Wizarding Prison of Azkaban but their previous centuries of haunting the cold halls, sucking the life out of the inmates, and decimating any and all good things had left its toll on the institution. The now Ministry appointed guards still kept their patronus' by their side, fending off the creeping darkness that settled heavy on the hearts of those in the building. The coldness that could only be associated with the boney claws of the wraith-like creature still lingered, continuing to suck the last of the happiness left in the poor souls who were condemned to relive their dastardly deeds in a mental torture.

The man who sat on the lumpy mattress which rested atop the hard metal bars that were held up by the brick wall was a shadow of who he once was. He had been regal, had been royalty- he had been proud of who he was and never had a reason to not hold his head high. His hair had been maintained to the highest standard, the feel compared to that of silk. His skin although fair had been porcelain smooth, his face as clean shaven as a toddler and as soft to the touch. His eyes once bright with knowledge and as mesmerizing as pools of melted mercury were now dull, lifeless, and void of any sign of hope.

He had fought in the beginning, when that wrought iron closed behind him, locking him into his fate, he had fought against the creeping darkness to maintain who he was who he was raised to be but there was only so long he had been able to hold out for. Though his stint of several months inside the isolated island prison had been tormented by the soul sucking beasts before his escape, he was not prepared for what years could do to a person's mind and body. He was malnourished, bones he did not know could show now prominent features; his psyche destroyed due to the numerous times he relieved the horrendous deeds he had performed.

During the past five years there was one thing he knew for sure. He deserved his fate. He deserved to waste away to a pile of bones while his mind was attacked with guilt of his crimes. He deserved his punishment. He deserved the loss of his sons respect, he deserved the destruction of his marriage, he deserved to be hated, he deserved to be feared, and he deserved Azkaban. He had fought for so long. Fought to be on the top, fought to destroy those he thoughts and was taught to be lesser than him. He fought to give his family everything his father had ever talked about giving to him only in the end to lose them.

He couldn't remember how long ago he had last seen his family. His son's last remark to him had been razor sharp and although he had not flinched, or shown it the words had cut him. His son's hatred towards him had oozed off in waves and though it hurt to know he had pushed his only heir to the point to where he was he had taken the boys anger. He allowed the verbal abuse, allowed the words to rip open his heart and he took it all silently. In the end it had been his fault, he had brought his family to this point, to the point where he was the enemy. It wasn't long after that his wife came to him, seeking his signature in divorce. To say his heart broke would have been a lie, their marriage had been an arrangement, their first child being the last time they lay together- but it still hurt to know that he had managed to destroy his family with his choices. So few respected purebloods went through divorces, it was practically unheard of. Then again he was no longer respected, was he?

The sound of the guard approaching was routine as he rested on his cot. His legs bent at the knees and pulled up to his chest, his arms resting loosely on his legs, his head hanging low with his chin touching his chest, his now dank and straw like hair hanging around his face, blocking his view of all that was around him, his eyes casted to the ground were his footprint was evident in the dirt- the only signal that he did move about, however little it was. The shuffling of the feet slowed to a halt outside of his cell as a bright light pierced its way through the locks of his hair; the glow of the patronus shining brightly in the darkness of the prison.

"Get up Malfoy, you have a visitor." The rough voice of one of the many male guards broke the eerie silence that had become a constant in the prisoners' ears.

Slowly the man on the cot raised his head, his once platinum blonde hair now darkened with dirt and grime falling away from his sunken cheeks. His once steel blue eyes now dull with dread raked over the man from head to toe, his face set in grime resolution of his fate. Blinking once, then twice he watched as the guard sighed and shuffled his annoyance at the lack of response clear. Once upon a time there might have been a time where Lucius Malfoy would have held his head high and demanded to be led to his visitor. There might have once been a time where Lucius Malfoy would have demanded to know who it was calling upon him without warning, but those times were long gone. Those times had fallen into darkness when the Dark Lord had fallen at the hands of a teenage boy, a teenage boy that Lucius despised but owed his life to in more ways than the boy would ever know and more than Lucius cared to admit.

"Did you hear me Malfoy, you have a visitor." The guard repeated his irritation starting to creep into his tones. The attitudes and lack of respect was nothing new. Lucius had seen and heard it all before. He had grown accustomed to being treated how he treated so many. He had grown accustomed to being belittled and humiliated, he had grown accustomed to having no hope.

Slowly he raised himself to his feet and shuffled to the iron that held him in his confines. With a flick of his wand the guard bound his hands and legs together with a heavy chain. The blue eyes dropped downwards to see the heavy shackles, their weight a shock only to show how long it had been since his last visitor and how much weight he had lost in between. Slowly Lucius took two step backs and watched as the guard muttered an incantation under his breath and moved his wand in a precise pattern to open the door of his 'home' before ushering him forward. Without a sound the two moved back down the hallways. The magic of the rabbit patronus that hopped protectively around his owner and therefore Lucius, warming him in a way he hadn't felt in years. Being cold for so long Lucius could honestly say he forgot what it was like to feel warm.

The walk was quiet, the sound of their feet and the occasional shuffling of nosey prisoners was all that could be heard. Soon enough the concrete hallway smoothed out to scrubbed tiled floors, the brick walls transferring to grey panted plaster, the iron bars gave way to steel doors with windows centered on them. Lucius watched as the guard slowed to a halt in front of the heavy door labeled 'Conference Room 3'; a room he had been in twice before. The first time had been only several days after his sentencing when his demeanor had still been that of the man he had once been; his lawyers had come to discuss financial and estate problems, sorting through money he owed in retribution and who would take over what. The second time had to be well over a year ago, if not longer when Narcissa had brought their lawyers once more to oversee the signing and proceedings of their divorce. To say in the least neither of those visit to Conference Room 3 had been good visits so there was little hope that this one would be.

Knocking on the door the guard waited as the footsteps from inside the room neared before opening the door. Inside was an unmistakable Weasley. His hair was vividly red, although combed back in effort to keep it under control, his dark blue eyes outlined with glasses, his face cleanly shaven, his work robes pressed and cleaned, his shoes shined and a clip board under his arm. Lucius remembered him distinctly as Perseus…or maybe it was Perry. The name was of no matter really, he had just remembered he was the one Weasley boy to separate from his family and make a name of himself. Of course that had all been before the Great Battle and to be honest Lucius heard little news of the outside world since being in Azkaban; it was not as though he could have the daily prophet deliver to his small rectangle of a window , owls were rarely seen nearly the island in the stormy sea. And to be honest he stopped caring about what happened outside the walls he was stuck in.

"Ah thank you Auror Hanlon, we will take him from here." The Weasley man said as he adjusted his glasses while giving the thin form of Lucius a once over, his opinion well hidden.

"You're welcome Mr. Weasley, if you need any assistance two guards will be placed outside of the door." With a beckon of his hand two large men raised themselves from their seated spots at the end of the hallway and moved to join the group that was now catching Lucius's attention. What would the Ministry be doing sending a worker to visit him?

"Thank you Auror Hanlon although I am quite sure if he gets out of hand Minister Shacklebolt can handle him." Weasley said kindly finally getting a reaction out of Lucius. Unable to help himself Lucius's brow risen in interest and his eyes darted into the little space he could see wondering just what the Minister of Magic wanted with him. The last time he had seen the dark skinned man he had been the one to sentence Lucius to his fifteen year stint in Azkaban, a reduced sentence thanks to the testimony of unknown sources. Whoever had testified on his behalf was a mystery to Lucius Malfoy and despite his constant prodding to find out the name or names of the person or persons the information was well under lock.

"No doubt about it Sir." Auror Hanlon said before turning to give orders to the guards.

"Well Mister Malfoy if you will please come in." Weasley offered stepping back and opening the door wider, finally allowing the slowly disintegrating man a glimpse of the Minister.

Kingsley Shacklebolt looked exactly as Lucius Malfoy remembered. His head was bald; the scalp shiny, his robes though now less flamboyant in color still kept touches of his Jamaican Ancestry. He was still tall, a mere inch or two above himself, his shoulder wide and his body solid. The large smile on his face showed off his pearly whites and his large hand moved forward to shake him own. Lucius moved across the room and stopped in front of the proffered hand, staring at the appendage as though it was something foreign. The deep booming laughter of the man before him actually startled the once unfazed man.

"Come Mr. Malfoy it is a mere handshake." Kingsley spoke, his voice deep and loud; the tone echoing off of the bare white walls. Slowly he raised his hand and clasped it with the man in front of him, the feeling of his strong fingers incasing his boney ones only furthering the fact of how little left there was of Lucius Malfoy. After their hands separated Kingsley gestured to the seat across from him. "Please seat, we have things we must discuss."

With slight apprehension Lucius took his seat in the hard metal chair, his back ramrod straight, and his eyes once again showing life as they calculated the man in front of him. Had something happened to Narcissa? Although he did not love her in the way many say a husband should love a wife he cared about her deeply and it was no difference to him that she was no longer he family. He would still worry for her until his final day. But no, if something had happened to Narcissa why would he be notified? The last he had heard of his dark haired partner was that she quickly remarried after finalizing their divorce. The Auror on patrol that night had broken the news with vindictiveness in his eyes.

To be honest Lucius hadn't been surprised that she had remarried so soon after. It wasn't uncommon for one or both of them to have someone on the side. As they both had agreed in the beginning of their marriage, they would remain faithful until his heir was conceived and then after their personal matters were their own. That wasn't saying he hadn't been overly curious about whom the wizard was and if he was to be honest with himself he was still rather curious on the days he had the energy to care. If the Minister wasn't here about Narcissa there was only one other reason he could see justification for the visit.

"Draco…" Lucius's voice was rough with lack of use, the mere speaking of his son's name tearing his unused throat roughly. His eyes watered slightly before he attempted to clear it. Seeing his discomfort Kingsley signaled to the Weasley boy and quickly a glass of water was placed in front of him. Eyeing it thoughtfully for not more than a few seconds he greedily drank down the cool liquid, the freshness of the water a stark difference compared to the metallic tasting, room temperature liquid they were served.

"Draco is fine Mr. Malfoy, so is Narcissa if that was your next train of thought." Kingsley said with a knowing smile.

Once his glass was finished Lucius replaced it on the table to be surprised as Weasley grabbed it to refill it. "Narcissa is no longer my concern though is she Minister?" Lucius pushed out, his voice still rough but at least the pain of talking had eased slightly.

"Touché Mister Malfoy." Kingsley bowed his head thoughtfully.

"Why are you here Minister?" Lucius questioned as he reached for his refilled glass, nodding his head to the red head in the corner in thanks; Weasley's slight surprise lost on the prisoner who only had eyes for the man in front of him.

"Oh well that's easy enough to answer Mister Malfoy…" Kingsley crossed his hands in front of him on the sturdy metal table that separated them. "I am here for your help."

Author's Note:

My, my, my… it has been a long time since I have written fanfiction. I think the last time I wrote one I was pregnant with my now nearly 3 year old. Having a child can certainly distract you :) and what a distraction he was. I am now once more pregnant with another little boy and am once again on maternity leave way too early! My personal opinion. I enjoy working as weird as it might sound to some. Don't get me wrong. Being a stay at home mom has been wonderful. I love waking up my son, being with him all day and kissing him good night but I have been working for nearly ten years (When I turn 23 it will be 10 years) and the interaction you get while having a job is great, you meet friends, you get out, you see/do new things. Not that you can't do that being a stay at home mom but to keep my sanity I believe I need to work at least part time, which is what I will be doing once my second son in born. I don't think I can return to full time work after being a stay at home mom for these past few months (I'm high risk pregnancy) unless something happens where I need to go back full time.

Anyway enough rambling on that subject. Back to fanfiction. LOOOONG time! Lol I have recently been reading some through the access of my phone and as I haves been reading my own ideas have been swirling and I just couldn't stop myself. So here we are in my first chapter. I hope you liked it and it captured your attention enough to make you want to keep reading! I honestly cannot say how often I will be updating, it will be at least once a week but sometimes it might be more.

This will be slow going but YES it will be a LUCIUS & HERMIONE fanfiction. If you do not like that pairing well, please be mature and move onwards. There will of course be some other romances which I don't feel like delving into in an Author's note, I rather let it unfold. If you see mistakes I am terrible sorry. I do not have a Beta but do reread. I am only human though.

Yes right now I know Lucius Malfoy seems completely not himself but remember, five years in Azkaban cannot be healthy- he won't be so morose and depressing forever!

By now I am sure you know the drill…read, review, make me smile or make me think. Don't be nasty but criticism is welcome!

-Maria