Chapter 26

Hermione didn't speak to Harry for a few days. She was still disturbed by the change in him. She could understand it, but she still found it sad. Harry belonged in this world, probably more than anyone. He'd been the one that had saved it and he'd done it because he'd loved it. But maybe that was the sacrifice that Harry had to make-in order to save this world, he had to sacrifice his love for it. Whether that straight forward or not, his love had been used up and it had sent him exploring the muggle world.

Hermione felt really bad. She didn't even want to think of the wounds that had made him this way. She had the feeling he'd come back for her. She wasn't sure and she hoped it wasn't true, but it was a feeling that sat in the back of her mind.

She was also disturbed by the thoughts that Harry had on Lucius-that Lucius had made her care for him in an attempt to control her. Harry wasn't familiar with the situation, and he didn't know how things had been between them. He didn't know how Lucius had fought the attraction. But she also knew what Harry would say, that Lucius knew that was required to truly get into her psyche, that he would know that he needed to resist to get her committed to him. Nothing she would say would convince Harry.

But she couldn't believe that Lucius had orchestrated the whole thing to get her to the point where he wanted her. He certainly wouldn't have let it be after they'd finally been together like he was now. Even now he ignored what had happened, which was a sore point of frustration for her.

There was a part in her mind that was completely aligned with Harry. Lucius was devious enough to play such a deep game and she used to believe that. But she had need to pain and loneliness in his eyes and his constant attempts to hide it. She just couldn't believe that was artiface.

It wouldn't be such a issue if she knew that Lucius would be fine if she left, but the only way they would get Oscar extracted from this house would be to destroy Lucius by putting him back in prison. If he went back it would likely be for a decade or more and she wasn't sure Lucius' sanity would survive. And she wasn't sure she would do that and live with herself. Would she be able to live with it if she knew he had manipulated her, she wondered. These thoughts were chasing around her head and she could get no resolution to them.

The one thing she did know for sure was that she looked forward to meal times when she got to see himm-not with clear joy because it was still fraught with uncertainty and nervousness. But it was the only time she was near him, when she could pretend everything was settled and normal.

"Will you be attending the event at the Ministry tonight?" she asked during lunch.

"Yes."

"We are meeting at the Burrow for drinks prior," Hermione said. She wanted to ask him if he would like to come, but it would be far from appropriate. Lucius and the Weasleys had always had an awkward relationship, not to mention Harry. They had pressed her and she had agreed to come. She also wasn't ready to address the consequences if she asked Lucius to take her and he said no.

"I will see you there then."

There was a part of her that wanted them to go together-a part she couldn't quite understand, but she would be proud to be the person he took to events. And not just for the reason of bolstering his position in society, there was something more.

The drinks at the Weasley's were a messy affair. Arthur was late getting dressed and Molly stressed at their tardiness. George came, as did both Bill, Fleur, and even Charlie. Ginny was there too, along with Dean. Harry wore a suit. It was strange seeing him in a suit and she couldn't help but smile when she saw him. He had definitely grown up. He'd had a hair cut too.

"Italian. Do you like it?" he said and lifted up the jacket sides revealing the same colour vest underneath.

"I can't get over the idea of seeing you in a suit."

"Admittedly not my usual attire, but I am capable of scrubbing up when the occasion calls for it."

"Where did you get it?"

"In Milan. I was there, and why not? If you're going to get a suit, you might as well get it from the experts."

"It looks very smart. You are going to attract a lot of attention tonight," Hermione said and shoved his elbow. She could see Ginny sneaking peeks at him. "Have you spoken with Ginny?"

"We've chatted," Harry said without elaborating. He didn't look over at Ginny, which Hermione felt was very telling. She wondered if his new pro muggle world stance made him dismissive of Ginny. There had been a point where he'd loved her and Hermione didn't think such feelings would ever go away completely, but Harry may have decided that there was no future there.

Hermione wondered what it was that Harry was proposing if she were to join him. He'd said that they were the only ones who really understood the position they were in. She'd never really asked herself if she could be more than friends with Harry. It had always been a question she had refused to acknowledge, let alone answer-maybe because the answer could be yes. She adored Harry and always had. He'd always had the qualities that she thought she'd valued most highly. When they were younger their friendship had been more important than any such questions, so she had refused to consider them.

They arrived at the Ministry by floo. The large entrance hall had was decorated and full of tables. It was already packed with people. The whole wizarding world was there.

Hermione searched the room for Lucius as they walked to their table. It was very crowded, but his blond hair wasn't difficult to spot. He was across the hall in discussions with a group of high ranking Ministry officials. The typical type of person he would be engaging with, she thought with an eye roll, but she also felt it was good that he was being accepted by such persons-at least enough to not shun him. He was too knowledgeable and clever for the intelligent people to ignore.

The whole hall was abuzz with discussions as the wizard world was out to impress. She saw the Slytherins across the room, Pansy and Blaise, who had become the Slytherin power couple. They looked slightly bare without Draco Malfoy. If he had lived, he would be there with whatever girl was his. It was like he was just absent from the table, like he'd just walked away for a while. She is here with the Gryffindors, like it should be. Everything on the surface was at it would seem, but underneath it had all gotten screwed up, like the natural course of things had gotten twisted.

She watched Lucius some more and saw as he turned his head and met her eyes across the hall. He watched her for a while, before returning his attention to the group around him. She felt her stomach flip-he'd searched her out, finding her in the crowd. She felt a rush of emotion at the thought.

"Do you want to dance?" Dean asked, taking Hermione by surprise. "I think the last time we danced was during the winter ball. You weren't at the victory ball were you?"

"No," Hermione confirmed as she let Dean lead her. She hadn't been at the victory ball, she'd been home with a newborn. Lucius hadn't been there either, he'd been in prison. She searched him out again across the room. She knew he would never dance with her. Lucius Malfoy would likely never dance.

She danced for a while then spotted Harry with Ginny on the dance floor, realising Dean push to dance. It had been a set up so Ginny could ask Harry. Hermione felt herself frown at the manipulation, but she wasn't sure how she felt otherwise. She supposed Ginny had figured out that she would likely not get Harry's attention otherwise. Hermione wasn't sure if she felt jealous or not, or even if she should.

She finally excused herself citing she needed to seek out the ladies. She wanted a moment to herself, to just recoup her own thoughts. She felt no qualms about leaving Harry to deal with Ginny. There was history there and he had to deal with it. She took a few moments just to sit in the ladies room trying to decide if she actually wanted to be there. Finally she decided that she'd been gone long enough.

Lucius stood in the hallway as she returned to the great hall. She was pleased to see him. He was obviously waiting for her and she felt her heart rate rise.

"I hear you and your friends are trying to put me back in prison," he said quietly. She could hear the steel in his voice as she absorbed what he'd said. She frowned.

"No," she replied trying to get her mind around what he'd just said. "I wouldn't."

"Wouldn't you? Because I hear differently. I understand a petition is being lodged."

"Not by me." Harry, she thought. He'd gone ahead and done what he'd threatened. She felt her anger rise. Harry hadn't even mentioned that he'd done it.

Lucius didn't say anything, just searched her face calmly.

"I am aware that you would gain by doing so," he continued. She felt his full scrutiny, searching her face for a lie.

"I would also lose."

She something flash across his face before it again settled into passive indifference.

"If not at your initiative, then why would someone do this?"

She didn't know if she should tell him that it was Harry. She didn't want them to butt heads. She couldn't believe Harry had gone ahead and done this without her consent.

Lucius turned to leave.

"I didn't know," she said. He stopped, but didn't turn around. It was a half truth, because she knew Harry had mentioned it, she just hadn't known he'd done it. "I have no part in it."