Chapter Two

"I see you're dressed for the occasion, Miss Granger," Lucius chuckled as the two stepped out into the hall and began to navigate their way through the throng of other witches and wizards that surrounded them.

"What?" she asked distractedly, trying to concentrate on ignoring the fact that his hand had slid from her elbow to her back whilst he was evading a particularly zealous young man who practically ran past them. She hoped he didn't notice the sudden increased tempo of her breathing, or if he did, that he attributed it to the exercise they were currently undertaking, and not anything he might be doing.

"Your dress, my dear," he answered as his hand went about her waist to guide her away from the returning zealot, now bent on going the other way. "It'll be perfect for a nice boat ride."

"Boat ride?" she repeated dumbly.

"Hold on, Hermione, this hall is especially treacherous today, let's floo out, shall we?" Lucius suggested, taking her with him into one of the fireplaces. When they were in one piece again, they were standing on some boat docks in a line.

"We're taking a boat?" Hermione asked him as the wind whipped at her hair.

"Yes, and you should be right at home, too," he said affably. "Apparently we'll be crossing with a load of Muggles."

"Wait, you're telling me you're going to cross the Channel in a boat full of Muggles?"

"Yes, why not?" he said with a grin. "Sounded like a bit of fun. I haven't been on a boat in years, you know. My grandmother used to insist upon it, but my father hated it with a passion. The last time I was on a boat was the day the old girl died. Terrible thing, that. Rather not remember it."

"No doubt," Hermione agreed, though she had no idea what circumstances surrounded the event in question.

Lucius took her arm and brought her with him, holding her a bit closer to his side than strictly necessary, but Hermione was too distracted by the very fact they were there to remark upon it at the moment. She was watching his face in amazement as he seemed to have transformed from his usually more grouchy self into this grinning, carefree man before her. She shook her head in wonder.

"What are you thinking about, Miss Granger?" he inquired with a laugh.

"Where is Lucius Malfoy and how did you get Kingsley to play along with this dastardly deception?" she inquired suspiciously.

Lucius chuckled as the two stepped onto the gangplank. He held onto her hand to make sure she didn't fall, and handed her onto the boat. The man who was boarding them took her other hand to make sure she got her footing, and then put a steadying hand on Lucius's shoulder momentarily as the two stepped away.

"I assure you, Hermione, it's me," he said as they moved forward to look for somewhere to sit down. "It's just that the sun is shining, and I've a lovely young traveling companion on my arm, and we're off to have a grand adventure with the promise of a bit of danger—what more can a man ask for?"

"Not much, I suppose," she said with a smile. "So you're like the kid in the candy store?"

"Yes, I am," he agreed. "Only I can't decide which sweet I like the best. Although I must admit, I've got a fairly good idea."

Hermione blushed deeply as the two sat together on a couple of deck chairs and the whistle began to blow. They heard the distinctive sound of the anchor being raised, and soon the boat was under way.