Chapter 3: Funding Visit

Lucinda adjusted her robes in the mirror of the ladies' toilets. All clinical leads were required to wear outer robes of dark emerald green to signify their position. She slicked on some lipstick and stood back from the mirror slightly, breathing deeply. It was Monday afternoon already. The weekend had passed by quickly, Saturday spent with some friends from Hogwarts she had kept in touch with, and Sunday cleaning her flat. Not that it had needed to be cleaned in all honesty, but Lucinda had wanted to keep busy, her mind whirling with a strange mixture of dread and anticipation for this afternoon.

Checking her watch, she realised it was already quarter to four. Suspecting that Malfoy would not be putting in a repeat performance of his late turnout at the funding meeting, she headed out of the toilets and back up to her ward to await his arrival. She went into the main shared office rather than sit on her own in hers. One of the support healer staff members called Jenny looked up from the notes she was writing.

"Are you ok Miss Lovegood? You look a little flustered!" she asked, concern etched on her features.

Lucinda nodded and replied, a little more brusquely than she had intended: "Yes, yes fine. Fine, nothing to worry about. Just hope I can survive the next hour or so without being carted off to Azkaban"

Jenny's eyes grew wider at her sudden realization as to why Lucinda was so tense: "Ah oh yeah, Mr. Malfoy is visiting today isn't he? You err, won't be bringing him in the office will you? If so, do I have permission to make myself scarce?"

Lucinda could help a slight giggle escaping her. It seemed most people were still choosing to wholly avoid ex-deatheaters.

"No don't worry, I'm sure he won't need to look around the office. You'll be safe. If only I could make myself scarce I wouldn't have to deal with this at all. Can't imagine he'd be too happy if I left him waiting outside though…"

As if on cue, there was a loud sound of the bell coming from the front door to the ward. It was time. There was no getting out of it now. She reached the door and incanted the complex unlocking charm. It clicked open and there, dressed all in expensive looking black, was Lucius Malfoy. He smirked slightly at seeing her and nodded his head in acknowledgement to her: "Miss Lovegood. How nice to see you again. I trust you were informed of my visit?" he drawled, and she noticed his eyes skim over her body for a second before he looked back into her face.

Lucinda gave her politest smile: "Well thank you Mr. Malfoy" she couldn't bring herself to say 'it was nice to see him' back. She wasn't sure whether it was nice or not, "And yes, I had been informed by owl last week. I thought we would start with the upper end of the ward. We have some assessment rooms and potion labs there that are the focus of our funding requirements. Any objections?"

She inwardly chided herself. Why had she asked him that? She was supposed to be the one in charge and if he had any objections that didn't mean she would change her plans.

She noted his eyebrow raise a miniscule amount and there was a seconds silence before he answered: "I can assure you Miss Lovegood I have no objections to what you are proposing. Lead the way"

Now it was Lucinda's turn to raise her eyebrow. Did he mean it to sound like that, or was she imagining it? She turned on her heel with a flounce and he followed her down the corridor of ward A4. She took him into the assessment mock-up flat first. Luckily it was empty. She had put up some signs several days ago reminding people of the visit and to ensure all areas were free and tidy by four o clock to make a good impression. There was a small kitchen area, a bathroom and a bed/living area with a variety of chairs.

"This is our flat. It is specially designed to allow us to work with patients in a more familiar environment and to assess what, if any aids, potions and healing techniques may benefit them" Lucinda explained, leaning against the kitchen countertop. Someone had left a used mug out and she quickly transfigured it into a cute looking teapot when Malfoy's back was briefly turned.

"I see. And what sort of things are you assessing in here Miss Lovegood?"

Surely he needn't have asked that, the answer was clearly obvious. Lucinda paused, moving off from the counter and pacing along to the bathroom: "Well, mostly functional activity and confidence levels. For example, can the patient effectively use their wand to aid making a drink? Can they transfer from sitting to standing independently and if not where do the difficulties lie… that is generally the sort of thing we do in here"

He nodded, clearly accepting of her explanation. Then, quite suddenly, he took a step in towards her. His strides were long and in one fell swoop he had come up practically toe to toe with her. She breathed in deeply and smelt something intoxicating; spice and musk. It was definitely him. For a beat neither said a word, their eyes locked together. And then he spoke.

"I recall you mentioned your ward's need for charmable wheelchairs. How exactly would these be of use here?" she noted his mouth turned up at one corner briefly, and then she blinked and he had stepped back from her so abruptly Lucinda almost wondered if she had imagined him being so close to her.

"Err" she cleared her throat softly "well we would use the equipment to enable patients to be more independent. It would provide them with a means to get around the ward whilst they are regaining their mobility, or they could potentially be used in the longer term if required"

Malfoy was looking at her closely. She took the few seconds break in the conversation to take in his appearance. He was taller than she had imagined, his shoulders broad and his frame lean. He didn't have his cane with him today, but had a pair of black leather gloves held in one hand. Overall he was, Lucinda admitted to herself, rather attractive. She felt the heat rise over her body involuntarily and up to her face. If he noticed, he didn't comment.

"Very well. They sound like valuable pieces of equipment for this particular group of patients. How many would your ward be requiring?"

Back to business, Lucinda thought. That was a quick change from his flirtation of earlier.

"We were hoping for five wheelchairs and ten walking sticks, if this would be acceptable for the committee"

"Hmm we shall see, Miss Lovegood. I should think I would want to see your potions lab before making any final decisions, if that is acceptable?"

"Well, seen as though I did state that upon your arrival then yes, I would think that would be acceptable, as you put it. It's just this way"

They headed back out into the corridor and on to a darker side room the ward used for brewing specialised healing potions. It was a delicate process and often required many rare and expensive ingredients and cauldrons. Hence the large amount of funding that was needed to maintain the lab. Lucinda entered first and Malfoy followed at a languid pace, seemingly inspecting several pieces of equipment.

"As you can see, some of our vital potion equipment is, well, rather passed its best" Lucinda said, indicating a tired looking copper cauldron. Lucius made a noise in agreement, "I mean, some of it looks like it's been here since before I was born! It's certainly not fit for purpose anymore…" she trailed off and waited for a comment as he turned back from inspecting a set of cutting implements to look at her.

"Hmm so it would appear Miss Lovegood. I do believe that it will cost some considerable funds to bring this lab up to date"

Nodding she replied: "I see. And are you going to provide us with these funds or not?" She crossed her arms. She must have looked rather like a petulant child she thought, all that was missing was her stamping her foot and wailing.

For a few seconds neither spoke, simply stared each other down from across the dim interior.

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She crossed her arms and raised her eyebrow lightly, waiting for him to provide an answer. He of course would provide the funds they required. He glanced around the room, once again taking in the considerably old implements and half empty jars of potion ingredients. It would be possibly barbaric in his opinion to subject someone to a potion made in here, he thought. But he would make her sweat for a while longer, so to speak. She certainly appeared defiant, which intrigued him. Normally he found people kept out of his way, or talked to him with barely concealed disdain or fear. Even after all these years. Not her. She held her ground, not something he was used to. He breathed in deeply, his nostrils flaring slightly. He could smell the heady aroma of various herbs and powders, all of which he recognised. But there was something else under it, something light and floral. Her. He wanted to breathe it in again, but concluded it might look decidedly odd for him to be sniffing loudly around her. It would not do now for her to think he was some kind of strange pervert. He cleared his throat faintly and replied to her query:

"Now, now Miss Lovegood. Why so impatient? I haven't even finished my tour yet. Eager to be rid of me from your presence?"

She rolled her eyes. It was only slight, but he noticed it. One didn't spend so many years working under the Dark Lord without learning to take note of subtle indicators of emotion. Not doing so had been the cause of several of the scars that lined his body.

"No of course not, why would you think that, Mr. Malfoy? I merely thought I would ask you a straight question and expect a straight answer. There really isn't much else to show you. I shan't be taking you onto the patient ward. There is only the offices and the patient's communal room"

He smirked at the clear sarcasm in her voice. Where would be the fun in straight questions and straight answers? No, that would never do…

"Well, I will answer your question in a…straight manner, as you put it, when I have decided on the answer. Wouldn't want to rush these things now would we? I think the communal room should be inspected too. Lead on Miss Lovegood"

With a huff she turned her back on him; reaching the open door and motioning him back out into the corridor. He took great pleasure in sweeping closely past her on his way out, their bodies almost touching.

"It's back down towards the entrance. But please be aware that if there are any patients currently using the room you may not enter. You may look through the window but nothing else. Is that ok?"

He nodded in response as they arrived at their destination. Lucius noted there was no one inside and so they entered. Instantly, he realised why she hadn't proposed to show him around here originally. There wasn't much to see, a few couches and chairs, a bookcase stacked with volumes, a record player and several boxes filled with various instruments and other objects of interest.

She turned to look at him, and he noted how her long green robes swished around her legs extravagantly: "Well, there we are. This room is currently quite fine, it was decorated only last month and we were able to buy many new books and items for group work during our last funding period. So, will there be anything else you would like to see Mr. Malfoy?"

Now there was a question. "I shouldn't think so, I believe that what you have shown me will be more than adequate for me to make an informed decision"

"Right…well…good. Before you leave there is a parchment we are required to sign to confirm your visit was conducted. It's just in my office across the hall"

They headed to her office and she closed the door behind her. He watched her stride to her overly organised desk and pick up a piece of parchment from a small pile, grabbing a quill and leaning over the desk to sign her name. He mused it would have given him a rather nice view if she wasn't wearing work robes over her dress. He moved to stand next to her and she handed him the quill to sign his name. Their fingers touched briefly as she did so. Her writing was neat but considerable flared on her L's and G's. He completed the form and placed the quill on the table. Then they were standing outside the entrance to the ward once again.

"Well, Miss Lovegood. Thank you for a very informative visit, it has been most enjoyable."

He thought he detected a slight flush on her cheeks. He found it oddly endearing, and he never found things like that endearing. Come to think of it, he didn't find much endearing these days.

"You're welcome, Mr. Malfoy. And thank you for your time" She held out her hand. He took it and they shook briefly before she opened the door and he left, losing her presence to head back to the empty Manor.