Hermione entered the dark smoky room with her head held high. Malfoy had his back to her staring down at papers on his desk.
"Leave us." He murmured.
With a snap of the door they were alone. There was a brief beat of silence before Malfoy turned to face her. Hermione stood before him, in a night gown, robe, slippers and fighting all the fear and terror she had ever known.
"Are you afraid?"
Was she that obvious? His tone was calm even coaxing toward her, but Hermione thought she might scream and charge him. She noted a blunt object on his desk she could crack over his skull. As the idea entered her mind she immediately rejected the thought. It would not do to act out in these situations. It was imperative to remain calm. Be calm and strategically find answers to all of her questions.
"I asked you a question." He said raising a crystal glass of whiskey to his lips.
Hermione shook her head from side to side.
"Never."
A laugh rumbled in his chest.
"You aren't afraid Hermione Granger? Why ever not?"
Hermione straightened and found her strength.
"If I had something to fear... it would have already come to pass."
He smirked at her.
"Trust me, there's much to come."
Her resolve flickered, but she remained firm. Malfoy swirled the drink in his hand and eyed her up and down resting his eyes momentarily on her breasts then lips.
"You've changed. You're too thin."
Hermione did not acknowledge his words.
"But perhaps the greatest change is that you're a mother... that I find to be most... delicate."
The crystal glass clicked on his desk and he began to move toward her.
"You've given the Wizarding World an heir of sorts... the question now is... what will become of him?"
Hermione flinched and daringly met his eyes.
"Would you share with me exactly what it is you plan to do with us?"
Malfoy had nearly closed the space between them.
"Surely you didn't bring us here just to serve your wine and fold your shirts."
Malfoy seemed not to have been listening to her. Instead he slowly reached a hand out to her, she knew better than to push it away, but she could not contain herself. Her harsh slap against him was yet again ignored. His eyes flicked up to her and he again reached his hand out until his fingertips gently made contact with her hair.
"Please do not touch me." His eyes lingered on hers and he obliged removing his hand from her. A narrow breath escaped her lips.
"The thing is, I don't know what I will do with you. I have been searching for years, but now that I found you I find myself... uncertain of how to proceed."
Hermione was dumbfounded.
"You wouldn't turn me over to Voldemort? As your position calls for."
With a look of seriousness she had never known he glared at her.
"Never."
A sigh of relief overwhelmed her and left her lips before she could stop it. How could this be?
"Why?"
He turned at that moment back to his desk.
"When one comes across something of this much value it is important not to act impulsively, but to sit on it and think. How best will this fare in the grand scheme of things? These are the thoughts consuming me."
"So you do not wish to hold us back from being destroyed, you simply mean to prolong it?"
"I assure you, while you stay here in my home, you will be protected. There is no place safer than here for you and your son."
"Again, why? What is it you ultimately want?"
Malfoy did not meet her eyes.
"You may leave now."