Disclaimer: Characters belong to J.K. Rowling and Co.

Author's Note: Okay I know it's an incredibly short chapter, but it's a start. I'm working on the outline for this story and when it's done I can hopefully start writing on it more. Right now I have about a page written on Chapter 2, so hopefully you won't have to wait as long for another chapter. Thank you to everyone who reviewed last time, your comments were incredibly inspiring.

Chapter 1

Lucius Malfoy stood in a dark corner with a fire whiskey in his hand, the other resting on the top of his cane. His eyes were following the girl across the room, that was passionately talking to a member of the Wizengamot about something he couldn't hear. She really was quite pretty he supposed, in her deep red dress, and her hair actually tamed to an acceptable level. His eyes darted to the other side of the room and noticed that he wasn't the only one watching her. Draco had had his eyes glued to her since he'd seen her walk into the room.

Lucius sighed to himself. It had been two years since the defeat of Voldemort, and this was the victory celebration marking the two year anniversary. The Malfoys hadn't been to it last year, since their name had still been antiquated with the Dark Lord. They were still working hard to get their name back to it's former glory.

Lucius watched his son watching her. He'd been spending the last two years trying to make up for the first eighteen of his son's life. Lucius knew he'd really messed up when it came to Draco. At the time he'd thought he'd been doing the right thing, educating him in pureblood ideals and what it was to be a Malfoy, everything his own father had taught him. He thought that he was picking the winning side when he chose Voldemort, a side that would bolster the family name, gain them untold respect and privileges. Then came his utter failure at the Department of Mysteries, the subsequent marking of his son and his failure to kill Dumbledore. Lucius knew there wasn't anything in the world that he could do to make up for that, and he knew Draco still held quite a bit of animosity towards him for it. He couldn't ever really make up for it, but he could try.

Lucius watched as Hermione Granger made her way through the room, talking to members of the Ministry, sometimes with that disgusting Weasley on her arm, sometimes not. Lucius's eyes darted to see Harry Potter not to far from the girl. If it hadn't been for him telling the Wizengamot about Narcissa's betrayal to the Dark Lord then they would both have been in Azkaban. Lucius knew that his father must have been turning over in his grave with a Malfoy in debt to a half-blood, but he also knew that times were changing, and to survive he must change with them.

Lucius couldn't make everything up to his son, but maybe he could at least try. His son had finally confessed his feelings for the witch some months after Voldemort's defeat. He might not like that his son was in love with a mud blood, but he was willing to overlook it. The days of blood purity were finally over. He knew that she was a very strong witch and would be a good match for his son.

He checked and saw that his wife was engaged with talking to a wife of one of Ministry's department heads. A small smile graced his lips as he watched his wife talk with her. She was good at this kind of thing, able to enthrall anyone around her.

He watched Granger as she finally made it out to the patio a glass of champagne in her hand. Lucius checked to see what Draco was doing and was glad to see that he was talking to someone from Gringott's and wasn't watching her for once. Weasley and Potter were beside the refreshment table talking to another Auror. Now was his only chance.

Lucius deftly made his way through the crown of party goers, dropping his glass of fire whisky on a tray as he passed, out to the patio doors Miss Granger had disappeared through. He saw her a few steps out on the patio, her face pointed towards the sky. He wasn't fooled though. Her whole body had gone rigid and he was sure that her hand was resting on her wand, ready to draw it at moment's notice. It seemed the war had had a positive impact on her in that regard.

"Miss Granger," Lucius drawled.

"Mr. Malfoy," she replied in strained voice, he body turned slightly toward him. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Just wanted to get some fresh air," he said in his familiar haughty drawl.

"And what, pray tell, made you come all the way across the room to do so? I'm quite sure that there was a door closer to where you were standing," she replied with cold eyes.

Lucius smirked. She really was as smart as Draco said she was. She had beaten his son on all his marks at Hogwarts. At the time he had been livid when he learned that his son was being outsmarted by a mud blood, but now he could see that she would make a great partner for his son. "You're observant as always Miss Granger."

"I have a habit of keeping an eye on people who watched while I was tortured," she said coldly.

"Come now, Miss Granger. That was two years ago, surely you can forgive and forget by now. Your friend Potter has, why can't you?"

Hermione's eyes seemed to be measuring him and it rankled him that he was waiting for a mud blood to find him worthy to breath her space. He nearly sneered at her, but managed to keep his face straight. Draco sure as hell better make good of the opportunity he was hoping to make for him here.

"I can forgive Mr. Malfoy, but never forget," she said coldly.

He smirked at her then. Perhaps she was even more worthy than he thought for his son. That Gryffindor mentality hadn't made her soft. Although that would make this harder than he thought.

"Was there something you wanted?"

Lucius reminded himself that sometime in the future this girl would be his daughter-in-law so it wouldn't do to hex her into oblivion. Draco would never forgive him.

"My wife was thinking of donating to one of your causes," he started.

She gave a very unladylike snort and turned to face the other direction. "Just to help the Malfoy name I'm sure."

Lucius couldn't stop the sneer that crossed his face. They had of course given away a small fortune in an attempt to bolster the Malfoy name to where it was in good standing again. It had helped little, but they wouldn't stop trying until the Malfoy name was restored to its former glory.

"Does it matter where the funds come from Miss Granger? Galleons are galleons."

She gave very delicate huff. "I suppose not, Mr. Malfoy. Tell her to come by my office at the Ministry any time and I will have everything ready for her."

"Excellent." Now to just inform Narcissa. She would be conveniently indisposed that day. Draco would have to go in her stead. It was a start and it would get them talking. So far Draco had shown a remarkable inability to just pursue her like a normal man. He through briefly of trying to get her to come by the Manor, but he knew that would be futile. She wouldn't want to return to the scene of the crime he supposed, although she would have to get over it in the near future.

"I'll take my leave then," he said. "Good night Miss Granger."

She gave a nod and returned to looking out over the grounds. He knew that was all he was going to get and even though it infuriated him to be summarily dismissed so, he went inside to find his wife. He just hoped Draco didn't bollix this up.

Hermione let out a breath as Lucius Malfoy slipped back inside. She didn't doubt that they wanted to try and help their name along some more. They were still whispered about on the street as followers of Voldemort. He was right though, galleons were galleons. There was no use trying to tell them they couldn't donate. Maybe she could get her to donate to her House Elf Legislation fund that she was doing. A small smile graced her lips. It was unlikely but she would do her best.

Hermione sighed and made her way back inside. Her eyes immediately sought out Ron and Harry, who seemed to be in a rather passionate discussion with the Minister, Kingsley Shacklebolt. Hermione didn't really feel like joining them, she'd had several conversations with Kingsley over the course of the night. It wasn't that she didn't like him, she worked with him. She admitted to herself that, conversation with Lucius Malfoy aside, she was getting rather bored. Hermione did enjoy wearing a dress every once in a while, just like any woman, but she would much rather be sitting at home in her sweats with a thick tome and a cup of hot tea.

Her eyes darted around the room and encountered a pale blond head. Draco Malfoy was talking to someone she didn't know, a glass clutched in his hand. She studied him for a moment, wondering what it was that she was looking for. He seemed to carry himself different from when she last saw him. She wasn't sure if it was exactly in the way he was standing or in the air around him. He seemed much more mature than his Hogwarts days, but then he was at least twenty now. She wasn't sure exactly what he had been doing since the war. They weren't exactly friends, so couldn't just go up to him and ask him what he had been up to. Her studying did not seem to go unnoticed as a pair of gray eyes looked up suddenly from the man he was talking to and latched onto hers.

Hermione felt her breath catch in her throat, at the intensity of them. The rest of the room faded into the background and Hermione couldn't tear her gaze away. She didn't know how long their eyes were locked, but suddenly someone brushed her arm and she jumped slightly only to see Ron standing beside her.

"Hey babe, you ready to go?"

Hermione felt an irrational flash of irritation at him for having interrupting with what equated to a staring contest with Draco Malfoy. "Don't call me babe, Ronald, and yes I am quite ready to go."

Hermione's dress swished around her feet as her and Ron walked to the exit. She felt a pair of eyes staring into the back of her head and looked around to see Draco still watching her, until Ron pulled her through the doors.