Chapter 3

Hermione's trip to South America was everything she could have hoped for. The work was challenging, maybe not exciting, but she made headway. She loved the language, the sites and the food. Travel was after all why she sought her way into the International Magical Co-operation department. Her mind had still reminded her of her time with him every time she gave it leeway to run its own course, but thankfully there was plenty of dull details to keep it reined in most of the time.

She wished the project had been longer, while realising that she was on many levels trying to avoid her situation back in the UK. Hermione sighed as the portkey returned her to London. Ginny was waiting for her with a big smile and a welcoming hug. "How was your trip?"

"It was fantastic." Hermione beamed before delving into her experiences over the last three weeks.

The found a small muggle cafe nearby and sat down for a proper catch-up. Ginny smiled at her in a way that told her that there was something she needed to know. Hermione realised she could not avoid asking any longer, "And how is the situation here...?"

"Yeah. Better or worse depending on how you look at it," Ginny said.

"So people have not forgotten, then?"

"Nooo," Ginny said in an exaggerated way. Hermione rubbed her temple trying to contemplate what it would mean to her life if people would not let this go. "Well, there is good news and there is bad news. Which do you want first?"

"Don't tease me," Hermione warned.

"Well, the Malfoys are heading for divorce and the good news is that you will not be required to prove in court that you were under the influence of a love potion."

"Has someone confessed? So he is dropping the charges against me? " Hermione said hopefully.

"He has quietly dropped the charges. He now calls you his girlfriend."

"What?!" Hermione spat. "Wha... No, please don't joke with me this way. This is cruel."

"No joke sweets. It seems Lucius has realised that he is despised to the point where no level of proof would release these adultery claims for his divorce proceedings. That long line of people who want to have a swipe at him is having their day. They aren't interested in the truth and probably wouldn't accept it even if you testified under veritaserum. Not that you will even get a chance now. So he had decided that if his innocence won't be accepted then he will do some damage control on his reputation through a relationship with a muggleborn; ie. you."

"I can't believe this. Don't I get a say in anything that happens to me?" Hermione yelled loud enough to draw attention from the other patrons. "I won't put up with this."

They sat quietly while Hermione gathered her thoughts. "How does he expect that I would go along with this? I am not going to be his ... ugh it is too ridiculous to even think about. He can't seriously expect me to go along with this."

Ginny chewed her lip for a while before quietly saying, "I am not sure there is much to go along with. Everyone thinks you're a couple. People have already seen you together at the Solstice dinner."

"But that was under the influence of the Love Potion, surely... I will tell the Daily Prophet."

" Yes, I am sure Rita Skeeter will be very understanding," Ginny said, laced with sarcasm. After a while she continued, "Maybe it is just better to let this go. He is obviously going down the 'girlfriend' route, so you will end up being the girl who claims being under a Love Potion to mask hurt feelings during a breakup, or you can be the girl who had a short, yet unsuccessful fling with Lucius Malfoy that quietly ended with no one looking back."

"Are you saying no one would believe me?" Hermione said sharply. "It is Lucius Malfoy for Merlin's sake, like that it even in the range of possibility."

"It is Lucius Malfoy and a lot of people in this society would forgive him in a heartbeat if he made some steps to reform himself," Ginny quietly responded. "People would rather believe what they want to with him, than listen to the truth. If it was anyone else, I would tell you to yell it from the rooftops and the person gave you this potion probably expects you to, but he is still very powerful. You kick up a big fuss and it might come back to bite you."

Hermione's mind ticked into analytical mode as she realised that this situation was much more complex than she had initially thought. Her Gryffindor side bristled at the injustice, but she equally did not want to play into the hands of the person who had arranged this all.

Hermione returned to her flat and had a good cry to release some of the tension of the last few weeks. Releasing the shock of waking up in that infernal hotel room, the energy-draining attempts to pretend that everything was fine throughout her trip and the fact that her life was completely out of her control yet again. Not to mention the rather X-rated dreams she was still having.

The next morning brought her no closer to an understanding about what she was going to do about the situation. She dressed and apparated to work. People were still watching her, but the scrutiny was not as intense. She spent the morning debriefing from her trip and her boss, Mr. Jamson, who never made any references about her 'other situation'. Followed by a tense lunch spent with Harry and Ron. Harry tried to lighten the mood, but Ron was terse and sulky throughout.

After lunch she nipped into Gringotts to withdraw some of her wages, but upon leaving the bank she was affronted by a large figure as she turned towards the door. The very man she had been praying to avoid for the over three weeks.

"Miss Granger," Lucius said coolly.

Hermione snapped her mouth shut and quickly found something interesting about the window frame to distract her from the sight in front of her. Her muddled mind registered the scent of his cologne enveloping her, bringing on a reminder of times where there was not this much space between them. Hermione blushed brightly at the memories before stuttering, "I, um ... I hear that... you have been saying some things about me," she finished quickly before looking up into the eyes that were piercing her.

"And what would that be Miss Granger?" he continued in the same cool voice.

Bastard, Hermione thought, he was going to use her embarrassment and bully her into never mentioning this situation. She had never felt this uncomfortable in her life and all she wanted to do was run out the door. She certainly did not want to mention the word girlfriend in case the words might give the ridiculous concept weight. She struggled to find something that sounded neutral, while also noticing the steady hands that known so much of her, "Things about the nature of our relationship."

"Ah, yes, well I do know a lot of very ...intimate things about you," he said almost mockingly.

Bastard, she thought again, while a fresh wave of colour washed over her face. "Um, I have to go," she rushed out as she flung herself out of the door. Bastard, bastard, bastard, she kept saying to herself as she briskly walked back to her office. She wanted to sprint back, but refused the indignity. It was enough that he had practically chased her out of the bank, which wasn't strictly true, but she felt that way. Why did he have to be so damned intimidating? All in black looking like Darth Vader. The comparison amused Hermione, particularly as he would have absolutely no idea who Darth Vader is. And that cold face with the cold expression. What was it about him that made him think he was too good for facial expressions. How dare he mention the intimacies that were not supposed to be. Because by mentioning them, it was obviously clear that he remembers her the same way that she remembers him, and that mortified Hermione. Merlin, she hoped he wasn't having X-rated dreams about her every night.