Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, it is the property of the brilliant J.K Rowling. This story is the product of her marvellous characters and world and my imagination.
Prompt - vanity
Characters - Hermione Granger / Lucius Malfoy – for SereniteRose
Vanity
"You are so vain," Hermione rolls her eyes as she watches Lucius admire his appearance in the mirror, "sometimes I'm surprised that you haven't fallen in love with your own reflection."
His eyes narrow, "I am not Narcissus, Hermione, and this is no Greek myth."
"Could have fooled me," she murmurs, darting backwards with a grin when he reaches out to grab her waist, "it's alright, Lucius, I know I'll always be second in your heart."
This time he manages to catch her before she can move out of the way, wrapping an arm around her and tugging her close so he can press his lips against hers, "you are a maddening little witch."
"So I've been told," she says, "mostly by you … but really, would you like me if I just agreed with everything you said like a good little housewife?"
"Life would certainly be more peaceful."
"More boring, you mean," she retorts, "shall I try it?"
She steps out of his embrace and sits down on one of the chairs, adopting a very proper pose with hands folded and a look of polite interest. The sort of look often adopted by society girls at the many dull balls Lucius insists on dragging her to.
"How are you today, darling?" she asks in a saccharine tone of voice that she would usually never be caught dead using, "if there is anything I can do to make you happier, do let me know - nothing is more important to me than assisting you with any little thing you wish me to."
Lucius steps closer, a lascivious look in his eyes, "anything, Hermione?"
She breaks character immediately, sending an angry red spark of magic at him as he laughs.
"Peace, my lioness," he soothes, "it was merely a joke."
"You are so full of yourself, Lucius," Hermione scowls, though there is amusement in her expression, "like I said – vain."
"I am not vain," he insists, "we have been over this."
"I once again bring attention to your inability to pass by a mirror without primping."
"I do not primp, Hermione."
"You definitely do. And you're obsessed with your hair."
"My hair is magnificent, darling, it deserves the best care."
Hermione winds a few strands of Lucius' long, white blond hair around her fingers. She won't admit it to him but she's a little jealous of his silky, beautiful hair when her own resembles a bird's nest unless she spends two hours and ten different products and potions wrestling it into submission.
She removes her hand from Lucius' hair and tries to get back on topic. Her husband's vanity has gotten to a ridiculous point and they have to deal with it.
"Mirrors, hair," she repeats, "then there's the bills you run up on your robes."
"We have the money," he reminds her, "my robes don't even make a dent in the Malfoy vaults."
She rolls her eyes, "no man needs twenty sets of summer robes specifically for Wizengamot meetings … per year."
"I have to look my best, Hermione – I respect your decision to sometimes wear the same pair of robes twice in one week to work, but I have a reputation in the fashionable world to uphold."
"The Wizengamot," she reminds him with clenched teeth, "only meets five times in the summer period, so why do you need four different sets for each meeting?"
"Well I require spares," he says with a confused look, seemingly baffled at her words, "what if one set gets dirty on my way to the Ministry, or if, Merlin forbid, someone else is wearing the same robes?"
Hermione can feel a headache coming on.
"Let's just move on to the next thing," she tells him, "which is whether we really need at least one portrait of you in every room of the manor."
"Of course we do."
"Even the bathrooms?"
"Yes," he answers immediately.
"This manor has a hundred rooms, Lucius."
"I am failing to follow your point … Hermione, why on earth are you slamming your head against the wall?"
"I give up, Lucius. I'm not even going to try and talk to you about the symbolism of all the bloody peacocks you insist on keeping in the gardens."
"Darling, I know you love them all as much as I do."
She scowls. Damn him for being right – for some reason she really does love the peacocks.
"Come now, Hermione, don't pout."
He wraps his arms around her and she leans back into his embrace.
"You aren't really unhappy with my little vanities, are you darling?"
"They are beyond irritating," she tells him, "but Merlin knows I'm aware of the fact that you're never going to change."
"And you love me anyway?" he prompts.
"Yes, Lucius, frustrating wizard that you are, I do love you."
Lucius spins her around to kiss her and when they break apart he gives her a conspiratorial smile, "shall we go down to breakfast – there's still time to scandalise Draco before I have to leave for my meeting."
She smiles back, content and happy, "that sounds wonderful Lucius."
Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed it.
Feel free to suggest ideas for further chapters by giving me a single prompt word and, if you want, the name of a character other than Hermione and if you want it to be romance, friendship, general etc. I can't guarantee anything as my muse can be fickle, but I'll try.
