Lucius took as deep a breath as his still bruised ribs would allow. He didn't want to put this dinner off again. The battle had left him with a few minor aches and pains. Considering the odds against them, it was better than a muggle miracle.

He glanced over at Hermione as she slipped into a dress best suited to a garden party. Apparently, Molly Weasley did not approve of dragonhide. Her wand arm was still bandaged, but the rest of her skin on display was terribly tempting. The instinct to fulfill the bond's demand was growing everyday. He licked his lips and fussed with his shoulder length hair.

"Tie it back." Hermione joined him at the mirror. "It's long enough. No one will notice the difference. I wish mine would behave half as well as yours."

"Your hair is lovely." Lucius smiled at her reflection.

"Nothing works on it." She raised her hand to touch it, and the near sentient cloud of hair let loose a shower of blue and green sparks. "Want to try your hand?"

Lucius smirked at her raised brow and considered the challenge. His fingers were functioning again, but it would be weeks before his full dexterity returned. Even the finer swishes and flicks of his wand were beyond him, but he couldn't let her gauntlet be.

"Effie." One of the Manor elves appeared and blinked up at him.

"The master wants something?" The small creature beamed up at him. "Please, let Effie be of service."

"I need my mother's jewelry box. The one that she kept just for herself." Lucius looked down at his mother's favorite elf and smiled. "I think she would approve of my purpose."

The elf glanced at Hermione, and her bat wing like ears flapped about her head. It was one of those moments when his worlds collided. Hermione blinked as the elf grabbed her hand. He could see the flash of fear in her eyes.

The witch could face death without a thought, but the adoration of an elf sent her into a state of pure panic.

He felt his lips stretch and turned to hide his smile.

"The old mistress would be very pleaseded." Effie popped out of the room and a small mahogany box with runic marquetry appeared on the dresser top next to him.

"Effie was my mother's elf. She loves me, but she's never bound herself to me." Lucius shrugged. "She's spent years waiting for a proper miss and keeping some of mother's things."

"Some?" Hermione stepped closer to him. "Shouldn't all of it have gone to Narcissa?"

"Effie never took to Narcissa." Lucius fussed with his hair again. He didn't need Hermione to know that he'd never considered giving his mother's treasures to his first wife.

"You never even asked Effie to consider giving them to me." Narcissa's portrait scolded him. "I wouldn't have appreciated them properly."

"Severus figured out how to get past the wards on the frames?" Hermione chuckled and turned to look at the seascape where Narcissa was perched on a stone.

"Even as a portrait, he confounds us all." Lucius rolled his eyes and smirked as Narcissa and Hermione chatted amiably. He stroked the lid of the box and opened it. The scent of his mother's perfume wafted up and added to this odd moment of peace.

"Severus would like to speak to you, Lucius." His former wife's voice broke through his reverie. "Before you wander off to the Weasley den. Do try to leave the place standing."

Narcissa's painted eyes narrowed as she looked at him. She held his gaze for a moment before nodding. He watched her sweep out of the frame and felt Hermione quake with mirth.

"She does haughty better than the Queen herself." Hermione grinned up at him as Narcissa left. "I wonder why Severus didn't pop in."

"He knows better." Lucius chuckled. "This room is meant to be a private sanctuary."

He smirked as she blushed and glanced toward the bed they had shared while they convalesced. He wanted so much more for them both than holding hands while their weakened bodies healed, but there was something to be said for anticipation.

He looked down into the box and plucked a pair of golden hair combs from the forest green velvet that lined it. He brushed his fingers along the citrines and peridot that adorned them. The stones were all well set and shining.

"These were my great grandmother's. They were both Hufflepuffs and quite proud of it." He slid his fingers through Hermione's curls and set the combs into place. Her hair settled into place perfectly. "They also were very mindful of their willful and wildly curly hair."

"These are too lovely." Hermione glanced toward the mirror. "They should stay in your family."

"They are." Lucius locked eyes with hers in their reflection. "You belong with us. Even Daphne has taken to you."

Hermione leaned back against him for a moment before reaching up and touching the combs.

"They aren't too grand?" She turned and faced him.

"They're simple hair combs." He rolled his eyes. "Think of them as armor if it helps, as effective as dragon hide in their own way."

"I'm not letting you set gems into any of my armor." Hermione smirked up at him. "I'm just nervous. All of us going to see the Weasley's is odd."

Lucius took a deep breath.

"I know Arthur invited us." She looked up into his face. "I think he wants to put the animosity between your families aside for me. He's always been sweet like that."

Lucius considered discussing his plans with her. He wanted her free of Potter. He wanted her free to be with him, but this meal was most likely not going to lead to some understanding between the Weasley clan and his family.

"I need to talk with Severus." He cupped her rosy cheek. "Why don't you make sure that Draco and Theo aren't carrying some rare poisons or cursed objects?"

"I'll go." She smirked up at him. "I'm not a fool, Lucius. I know you're up to something entirely too Slytherin for my tastes. Try to remember that I care about these people."

Lucius fought the urge to grab her and hold her close as she left him with a sly wave and a coy toss of her hair.

Arthur watched as Molly chopped vegetables. Her motions were quick and angry. There was no doubt that she was less than pleased with him at the moment.

"I still can't believe you invited them here." She glared up at him and grabbed a new yellow squash to substitute for his neck no doubt. "Malfoys in our home. How could you?"

"We need to patch up the rift between our families, or we will lose Hermione." Arthur crossed his arms over his chest. "We lost Fred. I won't lose another child if I can help it."

"She isn't really ours." Molly didn't lift her gaze from the cutting board. "Having her here is going to prick at Ginny, and she's bringing the wizard responsible for the worst moments of our daughter's life with her. How could you think this is acceptable?"

"Lucius Malfoy may never be my favorite person, but he laid his life on the line to save us all." Arthur frowned and straitened his jumper. "Hermione needs somewhere to belong. She's as good as ours, but we can't keep her safe from the pain of the hand fate dealt her."

"Nothing good will come of this." Molly put her knife down and pressed her hands onto the wooden board. "That man is no good."

Arthur shook his head sadly. He watched his wife as she shifted about the kitchen and took a deep breath. He closed his eyes and thought of Fred. He couldn't lose another child.

"If Lucius can keep Hermione from throwing her life away on some mindless quest to be useful, I will invite him to every family meal from this day forward." Arthur stood and stepped closer to his wife. "What if seeing that Hermione has moved on frees Harry and Ginny from their guilt? What if that man makes our lives better?"

Molly snorted and glared at him.

"They're all going to be at The Burrow?" Kingsley looked at Ronald Weasley with wide eyes. "Have you lost your bloody mind? We're going to need an extra squad of aurors on standby."

"Neville pulled in a few trusted fellows. They are all working late finishing up paperwork." Ronald half smiled. "You'll get paperwork done and have a unit at the ready."

"It's still madness." Kingsley frowned. "Your mother and Lucius Malfoy under the same roof?"

"That's why I think it would be best if you were there." Ronald looked at him with those calculating eyes. The man had grown into his chess playing mind, but there was still too much of the risk taker in him.

"Hermione won't appreciate my presence." Kingsley shook his head and looked out the window. Spending time with her hurt. He didn't need to have his past mistakes directly in front of him to feel the guilt clawing away at his gut.

"We've all gotten used to avoiding her, but she deserves better from us." The red head's gaze dropped to the floor. "She deserves better from me. I've spent the last few years trying to keep Harry safe and happy. They were my best friends, and I just let her go."

Kingsley took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Hermione never backed down from the difficult or the uncomfortable. He owed her enough to follow her example.

"I suppose having a good view of this insanity will be amusing." He looked at his hands. "What time is the end of the world as we know it?"

Hermione stopped halfway down the stairs watching the antics of her former class mates. Draco threw his head back and laughed at Theo's new and delightfully exaggerated donkey ears.

"Astoria is a menace." Theo frowned. And stroked the soft brown fur on his skin. "This is not the image I wanted to project at this dinner."

"I told you to leave my wife alone." The blonde chuckled. "She's gotten very creative."

"It's a simple spell." Hermione giggles as both the wizards turned toward her. "It's one I taught her."

"Then you can do away with them?" Theo stepped toward her hopefully.

"I designed the spell after a brief sojourn to the states where I worked with an auror that insisted everything was ass backwards." Hermione smirked. "I believe you should be able to fix your little problem before we leave, yes?"

She patted Draco on the shoulder as she passed the pair. He grabbed her hand and danced her in a quick circle around Theo. Astoria and Daphne stood in the doorway with wide smiles on their faces. The absolute joy of the moment left her breathless.

She looked around at her family and knew that she no longer needed to repair her tattered relationship with the Weasley clan. She belonged.

Severus tried to keep his painted eyes on Lucius, but the man kept pacing beyond the view afforded by his frame. He leaned against the edge of the canvas and waited.

"You're sure?" Lucius paused before him.

"I am." Severus wished he had a body so strongly at the moment. He wanted to rest his hand on Lucius' shoulder, to offer some support. "Cursing them won't help."

"It's a House matter." Lucius rolled his neck. "I would be within my rights."

"In another time and place, but in this one..." Severus shook his head.

"It's a return to Azkaban." The blond wizard clenched his fists as he fought to control his magic. His skin glowed in the dark room and fire danced at the ends of his fingers.

"There are options. The Wizengamot has sat in judgement of similar cases in the past." Severus felt the warp and the weft of his existence keenly as his friend struggled. "Get Hermione free of Potter. That's the most important thing. Be the Slytherin you are. There will be time to deal with the rest of it later."

Author's Note

Thanks so much for your patience. Real life has been keeping me far too busy. I hope you all enjoy this update. It was a pleasure to write it.

I am working on Crazy For You and The Girl With The Blue Lotus Tattoo, so, with any luck there will be more updates soon.

There are some great stories out there if you need a Potter fix.

A Second Look by RiverWriter is a treat.

The Minister's Secret by Canimal is an epic ride with an irresistible rare pair.

Life Debt by Trinkisme will warm your heart. It's a delight.

Give them a look if you haven't.

Thanks for all the love and support. You make the good times brighter and the bad times lighter.

-Anna