A/N: OK GUYS, THINGS IN MY LIFE ARE FINALLY GETTING BACK ON TRACK. I DECIDED TO CELEBRATE THIS BY WRITING! SO, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, CHAPTER SEVEN OF SHATTERED MIRROR:

Hermione sat there watching Lucius contentedly. He looks like an angel. She couldn't deny or chastise herself for that thought. He really did look like an angel when he slept. I could watch him sleep like this for the rest of my life. Argh! At this thought, Hermione did chastise her self for that thought. She had to admit to herself that she was attracted to Lucius Malfoy. To deny that to her self would be like trying to convince her self that Hydrogen wasn't an element on the periodic table. It was stupid. However, she had to try her best to keep from acting on her attraction. How sick would that be anyway? It's like taking advantage on a terminal cancer patient going through severe chemo! I'm no sick pervert. Besides, it was Lucius Malfoy. It would definitely be in her best interests to keep from pursuing him. He might be a 'reformed' Death Eater, but that doesn't necessarily mean that his beliefs have changed! Which they haven't by the way! Besides, he's old enough to be my father. In fact, he has a son my age!

Hermione was taken away from her musings when she heard Lucius begin to snore softly. She smiled tenderly because she knew what was coming next. Right on cue, Lucius began mumbling in his sleep. Hermione wondered what he was dreaming about. From the minor scowl on his face, Hermione figured that his dreams could probably be more pleasant.

Looking at the frown lines on his forehead, Hermione had a strong urge to smooth them away. Before she could do anything to stop herself, she acted on that urge and was successful. Lucius sighed in relief and turned toward her unconsciously. It's like his body knows where mine is and like a compass, it adjusts itself to point north. Hermione continued to watch Lucius, unaware of the world around her.

OOO

Binky walked through the halls to the study as happy as a clam. Normally he would have winked to the parts of the Manor that he needed to, but his 'servant's instinct' told him to walk instead.

Binky whistled a happy tune as he walked. The Master was really getting help. For a moment, Binky had worried that the Miss would not be able to be able to calm him down but he was proven wrong today. The Miss was successful at calming him down. She even got him to eat! When Binky got to the study, he stood outside the door for just a moment and listened to gauge what type of temperament the Master was in. He heard nothing. Still being cautious, he opened the door silently and was greeted by a scene that both warmed his heart and gave him immense hope and happiness. There on the floor sleeping was his Master, and in his arms also fast asleep was the Miss. Both had small tender smiles on their faces. He quietly retrieved the dirty dishes and slipped out the door.

Washing dishes had always been soothing to Binky, so as he washed his mind wandered back into the past.

Binky had been with the Malfoys since his previous Mistress was eight months along with a young Lord Lucius Malfoy. Master Lucius was always a happy child, always smiling and giggling. He always got into many common childhood scrapes as a boy. He was Binky's charge, therefore Binky was always there with him to give him companionship and attend to his needs. The young Lord Malfoy would hug and tell Binky he loved him constantly. Whenever he did, Binky cried because he was so innocent and unaware of what went on in the world outside of his playroom. At that time, Voldemort began coming into power and Lord Lucius' parents were star struck by the young man whose beliefs were their own. Pureblood Supremacy. Taking the advice from a pamphlet given to them by one of his 'associates' to heart, when young Lord Lucius turned nine they began his 'special education'. Instead of climbing trees around the property, Lord Lucius was holed up in the study for hours studying pureblood history, works written by Salazar Slytherin to name just a few, and having hatred of muggles and muggle-borns pounded into his malleable brain. His parents were successful. Not three months after the start of his 'education' his whole personality had changed. He was cold, hardly smiled or laughed, and treated Binky horribly. There was hardly a day where Binky wasn't washing off his blood from various injuries caused by abuse from young Lord Lucius. However, he loved his young Lord and despite his horrible treatment of him, Binky served Lord Lucius faithfully and enthusiastically. Years passed and Lucius went off to Hogwarts. He was an excellent student and when he graduated, he gave his parents a gift in return for all their hard work on him: The Dark Mark. When his parents saw it, they laughed with joy and told him how proud they were of him. Binky cried non-stop in anguish for the rest of the day.

Ever since Lord Lucius became a Death Eater, many gatherings and parties were held at the Manor exclusively for Death Eaters and their families that supported them. It was at one of these parties that Lucius met Narcissa Black. Her sister, Bellatrix, was a fellow Death Eater. Bellatrix introduced the two and they immediately formed a strong bond. They weren't 'in love' exactly, but they were very fond of each other and lusted after each other strongly. When their parents became aware of their attraction, they encouraged the couple to court and marry not only because Narcissa came from a great pedigree, but also because her sister was a Death Eater and therefore she would keep secrets that were supposed to be kept and basically knew what to expect from her Death Eater husband. They did court and marry. Binky was very happy with this because from the moment his Lord Lucius met Narcissa, he had seen brief glimpses of the old Lord Malfoy. Surely the marriage would warm his heart and turn him into the man he was supposed to become. He was shocked when the 'Dark Lord' himself attended the wedding. He, of course, made a speech at the reception to everyone's awe. The Manor was handed over the new married couple and things were good for a while. Things were not so good though that Master Lucius changed from his dark, cold ways. Binky was crushed. Then things with the Dark Lord became more intense and the Malfoy's marriage became tense. Mistress Narcissa was only loyal to the Dark Lord because of her sister and husband. She didn't worship him, she only tolerated him. Fearing him helped too. The marriage was set to rights briefly when Mistress Narcissa became pregnant and gave birth to young Lord Draco. Things got even better when Lord Voldemort fell and Master Lucius was able to focus on being a good father. And he was a good father. Even though those outside of pureblood society criticized his parenting, young Lord Draco Malfoy never doubted that his father truly loved him. Master Lucius finally began to change for the better much to Narcissa and Binky's delight. The new development was short lived, however, when Lord Voldemort rose once again to wreak more havoc in the Wizarding world. This time the family was being ripped apart for good. Master Lucius became a sycophant for the Dark Lord once again. Binky was glad that the Malfoy's came together on the final battle and defected from Death Eater ranks completely. The stars in Master Lucius' eyes for the Voldemort began to fade when he lost Voldemort's favor and began to see his leader through clearer eyes. In the end he and his wife only had eyes for their son, his whereabouts and safety. Ever since then things have fallen apart. But now things are finally being put right! For good this time! Because now Master Lucius had the Miss. The Miss had great potential to become the new Mistress of Malfoy Manor. She was perfect for his Master. His Master now had a second chance to build a life filled with love and happiness without the dark cloud of Voldemort hanging over them.

OOO

Hermione didn't know when she fell asleep. All she knew was that she woke up once again with a heavy weight on her stomach and surrounded by a minty aroma. Why do I always end up sleeping in the arms of Lucus Malfoy! Hermione tried, unsuccessfully, to remove herself from Lucius' embrace. She tried twice more with the same results and gave up with a sigh. She was comfortable anyway. Hermione looked at the ceiling and thought on how much her life had changed since she was eleven. She remembered the exact day, evening in fact, her life had changed.

(Flashback/FB)

It was eight thirty in the evening on a Friday night and Hermione Granger was seated at her desk with a pencil in hand doing some math homework. Unlike other girls her age, every weekend was devoted to homework and reading instead of sleepovers consisting of manicures and gossip. She was an odd thing and not a fun person to be around, especially at a sleepover. Instead of gossiping over a manicure she would probably list all the ingredients in nail polish and how they contribute to nail polish's abilities. How boring. No wonder she doesn't have any friends. She's just too odd.

Those weren't her words. They were her fellow female peers'. She had over heard a group of classmates talking during recess. Those words sent Hermione rushing to the restroom to cry her plain brown eyes out. Two minutes into it, a fire sprinkler above her head went off and drenched her and her things making her look like a drowned rat. She cried even harder at this. She knew that every sprinkler in the building was going off. Because of her. She hated when this happened. She couldn't go through emotions like a regular girl! Something always had to happen when she was very mad or sad! She hated it. She wiped excess water from her face, gathered her things and walked dejectedly to her classroom. The repairmen came thirty minutes later and school was let out early five minutes after that.

(End of FB)

Yes, her life had changed. Dramatically, but for the better. Looking back, she realized that she never would have fit in in the Muggle world. She had seen and experienced too much. Heh, I bet I can relate to a muggle soldier more than to a woman my age.

Lucius began to stir and she held back a gasp when she caught a glimpse of his eyes after they opened. For the briefest moment, his eyes held an intensity that took her breath away before they became blank and empty. What was that?? Can someone's eyes be that intense? Lucius sat up and looked around before he turned his gaze to her. Her eyes widened when his blank eyes were no longer blank. He looked…content. Relieved. A mixture of those. Smiling softly, she addressed him.

"Hello Lucius , I hoped you slept well," she waited for a response, but none was forthcoming. She was struck with an idea.

"Lucius, we both need to bathe. Why don't we do that and then come back down here and then I'll read out loud? Come on," she smiled and held out her hand. Surprisingly, he put his hand in her own and she fought a shiver when a small electrical shock went up her arm from where their hands were connected. They made their way, with Hermione in the lead, still holding hands.

A/N: AND THAT IS THE END OF THE…SEVENTH INSTALLMENT OF SHATTERED MIRROR! MAN I SOUND LIKE A TV SHOW ANNOUNCER PERSON…