Hermione blinked rapidly; very aware she was still holding onto Lucius's hand as the Romanian sun assaulted her retinas with vigour. The fresh, crisp air filling her lungs.

The rolling green hills extended for as far as she could see, and from what she could tell, they were fairly high up in the mountains and very, very far away from civilisation. She recoiled her hand from his slowly before jumping high in the air when a voice sounded from behind the two of them.

"Hermione?" An all too familiar voice hit her ears and she groaned inaudibly. Of course, Charlie. She could have smacked herself over the head for not realising he would be here. Who bloody else would be here? She thought to herself.

"Charlie!" She threw on an almost fake smile and a happy front, turning to face him, beaming as he came bounding over and hugged her.

"How's my favourite sister in law?" He asked animatedly.

Lucius snorted loudly, and Hermione narrowed her eyes at him which only amused him further.

"Ron hasn't told you?" Her face dropped fast.

"Oh, he told me, but I refuse to believe it."

"So does he." Hermione sighed angrily.

"Not for long," Lucius whispered under his breath.

"What?" They both asked in unison, both glaring at him with question in their eyes.

"I said probably for too long." Nice save, he thought to himself.

"It's so great to see you, Hermione. I didn't know you were coming, Ron never mentioned it."

"Ron didn't know I was coming, up until fifteen minutes ago, I didn't even know but Lucius required my help to pick the perfect dragon."

Charlie looked from Hermione to Lucius, perplexed. "Is… Is there something going on…" He trailed off, confused. "You aren't under the imperius curse, are you?" His eyes darted from Hermione to Lucius and back again. There was no way Hermione Granger, Muggle-born would be caught dead hanging around with Lucius Malfoy, Muggle-born hater.

"Merlin, no." Hermione waved a dismissive hand. She wouldn't admit she was here because she found the man… Charming. Interesting. Charismatic. Handsome. Shit, no. No. She didn't think any of that. She shook her head shaking the thoughts from her head. This was strictly business and she only tolerated the man, no more, no less.

"Are you going to take me to see the dragons, or are we going to stand here pondering if I have placed Hermione under a very illegal and very unnecessary curse?" He snapped out harshly. How dare he assume he had Hermione under an unforgivable. He happened to be able to charm her all on his own thank you very much, the only magic involved was his winning personality, he thought to himself.

Charlie physically bit his tongue hard, he wanted to say something but he knew the wealth of a Malfoy knew no bounds and didn't want to lose a sale, the sale of dragons were few and far between but when a sale went through, it was a princely sum of money, all that went back into the conservation and care of the breeding and rescue dragons they had at the current time.

The trio walked down a well-trodden pathway that Charlie had obviously taken many a trip down. Silently padding out the way in the lead, Hermione and Lucius walking in silence beside one another lagging just so. They stepped in unison, deviated from their path every few steps, finding themselves accidentally brushing the others arm with soft skin, both eyeing the other with soft regard.

Hermione looked straight ahead, focusing on the back on the flaming red hair of Charlie, trying with all her might to stop herself deliberately tripping into Lucius to feel his taut frame against her own body. Shit. No. No. She mentally scolded herself. She didn't like him, and she certainly didn't crave his touch or want to inhale his woody scent that mingled ever so softly on his skin. Ok, she totally wanted all of those things, but she wasn't going to throw herself at the man. It wasn't so long ago that he was trying to do her in and rid her kind from the face of the earth.

She was brought out of her revere when Charlie stopped before them abruptly, almost running up the back of him, Lucius grasped her arm with his hand and stopped her colliding with Charlie. She shuddered slightly at his touch.

"And here we are." Charlie gestured to an empty field, void of any life.

Hermione was confused. "Where… Where are they?" She asked. Confusion etched into every line of her face as she scanned the horizon.

"Wait," Charlie whispered before letting out a shrill whistle.

Silence.

Nothing happened.

Hermione went to open her mouth to protest before a beating of wings from the sky above had her jaw almost on the ground. Four dragons landed obediently before Charlie, looking at him with soft regard in their eye. Horntails this obedient was almost unheard of. Either Charlie was very, very brave, or very, very stupid to get close enough to form a bond of such magnitude with not one but four dragons.

Hermione backed up in fear, right into the broad chest of Lucius who without thinking placed a hand gently on her hip, pulling her in a little closer, almost as a show of protection.

She didn't pull from his touch, instead, she stood stock still in place watching with bated breath as Charlie walked towards the dragons, almost cooing to them. He was mad, she thought to herself.

Charlie turned to look at the two, a brow snapped high into his hairline as he saw the brief show of closeness between the two.

"I thought you said nothing was going in," He snapped. "You are still married to my brother and you want to blatantly flaunt your relationship with him." Charlie inclined his head towards Lucius. "Of all the people in the entire world, you had to choose him to commit infidelity with. The one who wanted you dead!" He threw his hands up in frustrations and anger.

Hermione broke from Lucius's touch. "Nothing is going on between us, Charlie, and even if there were, which there is not, it wouldn't be any of your business what so bloody ever." She took a few steps towards him and poked him hard in the chest.

"It is my business," he snapped back with viciousness. "You are married to MY brother. And you have the hide to come here and flaunt your obvious relationship with a low-life, mouth breathing, knuckle dragging troglodyte like him!"

Lucius looked highly offended, whipping his wand from his cane with such speed, he almost flung the whole thing across the field.

"Charlie." Hermione tried to reason, gently placing a hand on his shoulder which he shook off forcefully. "I haven't wanted anything to do with Ron for months. We haven't shared the same bed in a year or more and there is no saving the relationship. Even if I were in a relationship with Lucius, which I am not, it wouldn't be any of your damn business." She snorted, jutting her chin out defiantly.

She turned to Lucius who had a rage simmering just in the shallow depths of his grey eyes. "Lucius. Just pick a dragon and let's get out of here. It's not worth it." She smiled meekly, stepping towards him she pushed his wand hand down.

He nodded to her in agreeance. "You are quite right. It's not worth going to Azkaban over a piss-poor excuse for a wizard. The whole family is a joke." He raised a brow as if willing Charlie to attack him. He didn't.

"What about the cute little one?" Hermione cooed over a small horntail that would have been lucky to come up to her knee, trying to distract him from killing Charlie right there on the spot.

Lucius rolled his eyes. "I want something with presences, something that could attack on a whim, devour a whole body in seconds." His eyes glinted with a hint of malicious as his eyes darted back to a seething Charlie.

"But it's so cute," Hermione protested.

"If you want something cute, I will buy you a Unicorn, or a Hippogriff, a Niffler, something that won't have a desire to swallow you whole when it's older."

"If there is nothing going on between you two, why offer to buy her a unicorn?" Charlie snapped, arms folded and body rigid.

"You've never bought a friend a unicorn. Tragic. When you have my wealth, what is a unicorn between friends?"

"You know you are coming across as nothing more than vain and narcissistic!" Charlie yelled at the top of his voice, frustrated and angry. Fingering his own wand in his pocket as he thought about whipping it out and shooting a stray killing curse his way.

"You've only just worked that out now?" Lucius questioned with a surprised upward inflection.

Charlie was seething. This man was nothing short of rude and he had had enough. Add into the mix that his brother's wife was being unfaithful, he was seeing red.

"I'll take the biggest one, be a lamb and have it delivered to my manor with haste," His voice was almost condescending, which only riled Charlie up more.

"I shouldn't be selling such a vile, foul excuse of a human such as yourself a dragon, but I am doing so in hope that you meet an unfortunate end at the behest of the poor creature that you will call your own."

"Charming." Lucius rolled his eyes. "Come. Hermione," he commanded, inclining her head. "We are clearly not wanted here."

She nodded, moving in front of him. He looked at her with a glint in his eye. This couldn't be good.

Without even a chance to register what was happening he had snaked an arm around her waist, pulled her in close and planted his lips straight onto hers.

She melted a little at his touch. She wanted to run. To scream. To push him away but something felt so, so right. She knew he was only doing it to get a rise out of Charlie, but this was a game she was willing to play along with. So, she snaked her arms around his waist and allowed him to pull her closer, not an inch between them.

The kiss went for what seemed an eternity. It wasn't terrible. His lips were soft, he was well schooled in the art of kissing. In fact, she would probably rate it as the best kiss she had ever been on the receiving end of.

And just like that, just as she was getting into it, he broke the kiss, looked at Charlie and said, "Fuck you." And apparated them both away leaving a slack-jawed Weasley behind, alone.

Hermione blinked, breathless. Lucius's hold around her waist didn't loosen. Steel grey eyes searching brown molten orbs for any hint of disgust or hatred and he was surprised he didn't find any.

"Where are we?" She asked casually as if the kiss never happened. Looking around a large foyer of what she guessed was yet another manor.

"One of my holiday homes. This one is in Romania, not far from where we just were. I have one in France too."

"Fancy," She mumbled awkwardly as they stood in silence.

"Are… Are we going to pretend that kiss never happened?" She asked softly.

"We can if that is what you want."

"I'm honestly not sure what I want." She really didn't.

She stepped back as he released the grip on his waist, and she was crestfallen just a little. She loved the way she felt against his body, adored the feel of his lips on hers but didn't fancy the repercussions of what would happen if she were to pursue something more with him.

"We are both adults here. If you want to pursue this and see where it leads, I am all for it. If not, we can still be friends." He shrugged. "Believe it or not but I actually feel some connection with you. You are smart, funny, interesting and beautiful."

"Th…Thank you," She stammered, unsure. What exactly was he playing at here? He had nothing to gain, he had already received what he wanted from her. Was there something else he needed that she didn't know about?

Only time would tell.

A/N: Well. That happened. I just write, the characters seem to choose their own destiny lol. I had no intention for a fight with Charlie or a kiss with Hermione.

Thanks for all the reviews. I really feel the love xx

-Aliasmel1