Disclaimer: same as previous chapters.

A/N: Record time update! Thanks for reading and special thanks to those who reviewed. :p

"Daria can you remind me to drop by the Business Licenses department before I head home?" Hermione asked, slightly flushed as she pulled on her robes hurriedly. She was off to yet another networking meeting in preparation for the big launch that was fast approaching.

"Sure. Is it something I can help with?"

Hermione shook her head. Her promise to Sebastian to set him up with a contact for his article was nagging on her mind. She had been so consumed by everything else he had forgotten, that is until she found a little note she had written to herself as a reminder amongst the mess on her desk. "Have you heard from Percy about the Minister's speech?"

"I received a memo from him this morning requesting a draft," Daria offered.

Hermione visibly tensed. "A draft?" she asked.

Her secretary let out a light laugh, smiling. "I'm kidding, Hermione."

"Daria!" Hermione exhaled, laughing nervously.

"Well, you've been so edgy these last few days. I couldn't help myself." Daria shrugged. It was true. She was losing momentum thanks to her overactive mind that, ironically, was now functioning completely out of character. Never mind her dedicated work ethic, Hermione did not pride herself on the discreet moments in her office when she would replay her undignified blow up in his office, or the frustrating relay of his words that kept her awake at night. Malfoy had not given anything away and she had let her guard down completely.

"Percy is working on the final draft as we speak. He was waiting on some information from Draco Malfoy's office. He'll send over a copy. I'll have it on your desk as soon as it comes through."

And then there was that. Malfoy had managed to respond to every little detail she had thrown at him at his office in a matter of days. Not only was it unusually proactive of him, not a single Owl had been addressed to her directly. Apparently, he had even put forward generous donations to the Minister's office for the silent auction. Only Percy knew the details. Rather than feeling relieved, she wanted to cry. That Pepper Up potion in her bathroom cupboard would have done wonders today. Hermione straightened her robes and picked up her briefing notes.

"I just need this launch to be perfect," she said.

"When do you even deliver anything less, Hermione? Besides, you have me," Daria reassured.

"Thanks, Daria. Don't know what I'd do without you."

"Just promise me you will take a few days off after the launch is over," Daria replied, her tone insistent. She gave Hermione a warning stare that it was non negotiable.

Hermione nodded before rushing out. She hardly walked these days.

OOO

"Lavender!" she called out. Hermione quickened her pace, weaving her way through the end of day crowd. "Lavender!" Her voice echoed through the atrium, turning a few heads, including her target. She slowed down as she caught Lavender's surprised gaze.

"Hermione? Hi. Are you heading home?"

She shook her head, trying to catch her breath. "Not yet. Still have a few loose ends to tie up. I've actually just come from your office; I wanted to give you this." Hermione handed Lavender the invitation.

"Oh! Thanks."

Hermione noticed her frown in confusion. "I know I could have just left it on your desk, but I- I also wanted to ask – if it's not too much trouble – a small favour, and you can say no, of course."

It was obvious she was not used to asking favours from people. Malfoy made her tread even more carefully. She sounded ridiculous and Lavender was just looking at her strangely. She was just going to come out and say it. "Sebastian Parker from the Prophet is looking into a few licensing grants issued by the Ministry and I was wondering if I can give him your details?"

"Gosh, Hermione, I thought you were about to ask me to double date, or something." She laughed. Hermione paled slightly as an image of her and Malfoy on a double date with Lavendar and Sebastian invaded her mind. "But sure, no problem. Is he cute?" she asked mischievously.

Hermione relaxed, wondering if she would consider Sebastian 'cute'. He was certainly a little too forward and confident for that description. "Well, I suppose he's attractive," she admitted. She couldn't deny the fact that he was a bit of a charmer.

"Oooh, Hermione, your face says it all." Lavender's eyes lit up with amusement.

Hermione was slightly shocked. Between Daria and Lavender's comments, the effortless ability to mask her reactions was obviously crumbling. She ignored it. "Great! Thanks, Lavender. I'll Owl him to get in touch," she said.

Lavender nodded. "You know, we should hit Blue Diamond again soon. You seemed to enjoy it last time."

The memory of their last night there brought on a wave of nostalgia that left little room for a light hearted response. It felt like a lifetime ago. "Maybe once this launch is over and I have a handle on things. It's pretty crazy at the moment." She wanted to add that she was a bit crazy at the moment – Lavender simply did not need to know the details.

"Think about it. We can even make it an after-party venue. Merlin knows you'll need to unwind after all the official hoo-ha that goes on in this place."

"We'll see," she replied politely. "Thanks again, Lavender." She watched her colleague step into the flames before walking back to her office, lost in a reverie of sorts.

OOO

"Hermione, I'm off for the day, but you have a visitor," Daria interrupted.

"At this time? It's after five-thirty." Hermione frowned. "Who is it? And what are you still doing here?" she added in realisation. The last thing she wanted was Daria to burn out.

"Mr Malfoy." Daria raised an eyebrow. "Does he even know about this launch?"

" 'Course he does," Hermione replied, sending Daria a quizzical glance. "He's the other half of the project," she reminded.

"I'm talking about the other Mr Malfoy," she whispered, moving closer.

Hermione's eyes nearly bulged out of her sockets. "Lucius?" she mouthed in disbelief.

Daria nodded. "I'm off then," she announced, realising the door was open. She smiled apologetically and Hermione glared at her for not sending him off. Seems like Daria had her limits, after all.

She gave herself a moment to breath as she listened to Daria wish Lucius 'a good evening' before deciding to step out from her office. She was greeted with the back of Lucius Malfoy as he stood facing the notice board of important inter-office memos that Daria kept pinned. The ponytail of his hair was striking against the austere black of his robes; a reminder of the infamous family trait.

"Hello, Mr Malfoy," she greeted with a controlled breath.

"I see Muggle Relations has grown somewhat in size and ventures. Very interesting," he said thoughtfully. He turned to face her. "Evening, Miss Granger. I hope my impromptu visit is not too inconvenient."

She was busy trying to process the fact that he was even here to even notice his indirect apology. "What can I do for you, Mr Malfoy."

"We received our invitation." He paused. "Very tasteful," he informed, walking toward her. He stood a few feet away, his eyes rather pleasant and friendly for her liking. "I just wanted to have a little chat. Mind if we use your office?"

'I do mind actually,' she wanted to say. "No, not at all." She turned and assumed he would follow.

He did.

Hermione didn't know whether to sit or stand. She waited for Lucius to make the first move. His cane hit the ground as he walked toward her desk laden with piles of parchment, folios, ink bottles and feathers, Muggle pens, and not to mention, numerous books that had been retrieved from her shelves. In fact, her office floor was lately overrun with the stuff, too. "I find that a clean desk –" He made a quick glance around the room " – well – office, really, makes for a clearer mind."

"I've petitioned for a bigger office," she supplied thinly.

He chuckled. "My best wishes for your success." He took a seat, finally, choosing to occupy one of the chairs reserved for guests at her desk. "No need to be formal, Miss Granger. It's after working hours; feel free to sit next to me."

She squared her shoulders defiantly, and reluctantly moved to sit on the other chair next to him.

"I met with the Minister today," he offered, appraising her reaction closely.

She remained silent, trying to ignore the alarm bells going off in her head. He was here to put a stop to the whole thing. It made her wary.

"He was all compliments when you came up in conversation," he continued smoothly, a slight smirk that mirrored his son's flickered across his features.

She nodded, accepting the observation as a lead up to the crux of his visit.

"It had me thinking. What would Hermione Granger be doing if she weren't committing herself to public service in Muggle Relations?"

Her mouth opened slightly, uncertainty washing over her. She narrowed her eyes.

"Don't look so puzzled, Miss Granger. You are clearly more than suitably qualified for your job. It's your unflagging commitment to the cause I'm most interested in. Draco is obviously smitten with your prowess and I'm rather refreshed by his boldness, but his obligations go beyond his career."

Hermione paled at his mention of Draco. She clasped her hands. "Mr Malfoy, I don't think I – "

He lifted a hand to stop her. "Miss Granger, let me finish," he said finitely, despite the civil tone of his voice.

"Draco – all his inadequacies aside – is a very astute young man. I've raised him to be aware of his surroundings, read people with precision, present with a certain regard for his ancestry. All this is important, Miss Granger, in order to maintain an image and, in part, set him up to commit to serving the family name."

She cringed. "I think the foundations of the Malfoy name are well established, Mr Malfoy," she replied curtly. She was no in the mood for a lesson in old wizarding family values. The direction of the conversation was hindering her ability to think clearly let alone allow her to link its relevance.

"Indeed," Lucius agreed. "But the Malfoy name is not just a legacy. Draco will need to make it his own."

"Perhaps you need to take this up with your son?" she questioned icily.

She nearly missed the twitch of his lips as looked at her with curiosity before speaking."Draco is lacking direction at times…yes. But he knows where his priorities lie. He tries his best to challenge things, I admit. However, this is not really about Draco, is it? You, Miss Granger, on the other hand, have the freedom, one might say, to commit to whatever you may choose. And you no doubt have chosen to do so in the area of Muggle relations at this point in your life." He looked at her expectantly.

How was she supposed to respond? "Mr Malfoy, I don't dispute my passion for Muggle relations, although I am unclear as to why you need to make such an observation, and – and if this is a conversation about my blood status, I think it best we end it," she said quickly. "I consider it a mere triviality that has no bearing on my life or my choices." She stood up, feeling her face flush with anger.

Lucius looked up at her calmly. He hadn't flinched a muscle at her outburst. She looked away, unable to stand his silent appraisal. Hermione was caught between whether to treat this as subterfuge for extracting an admission about her and Malfoy, or some sort of twisted attempt at an open discussion of her character. The latter seemed implausible – at least by her expectations given present company.

"What I'm asking, Miss Granger, is if you have accounted for creating a life that lies beyond your work? Does success for you include committing yourself to shared obligations that come with marriage?"

Hermione's mouth dropped. She shut it quickly and pursed her lips as her mind reeled at the ridiculous questions he had just put to her. "I'm trying to understanding why you've even come here to ask me that," Hermione replied delicately. Her throat was closing up. She suddenly felt suffocated and walked around to her side of the desk in a need to set some boundaries. Lucius Malfoy had seen her on one single occasion in the same room with his son and now he was jumping to questions of commitment? "I think, Mr Malfoy, that- that I'm entitled to some explanation behind your visit."

"I have my reasons for coming here to clarify things for myself. It would do you well to supply me with a response." His voice had dropped to a warning tone.

She cleared her throat. "I don't need to answer to anyone about what considerations I have given to how I choose to live my life."

"Ah, yes, I imagine your parents raised you with the doctrine that your life is yours to make it what you want. But despite your heritage and drive for professional success, you are a woman, Miss Granger. I think it is fair to say that the majority of women see marriage in their lives, you included. But, I ask, are you the kind of woman who would make a suitable wife for my son? Would you be satisfied with a life that requires you to commit to a man with a family legacy that calls for the highest level of altruism from you, first and foremost?"

She was beyond flummoxed by the direction this conversation was proceeding. How was it even plausible that Lucius Malfoy was thinking about this? "That is really something for your son to discern whether I, or anyone else, for that matter, would be a suitable wife."

"You would do Draco a great disservice if you have not given consideration to this, Miss Granger."

"With all due respect, I have no reason to - your son and I do not have the kind of relationship that would warrant it." There she said it, despite her raised voice hinting at her emotional state.

"Are you telling me that you are not interested in my son beyond office hour frivolity?"

She blanched. What a way to put it. "No, I'm not saying that."

He smirked.

She sighed in frustration. "Mr Malfoy, while I'm not sure what grounds you have for giving this your attention, what gives you the idea your son is even interested in me to that degree? I hardly think I even know Draco well enough to know what I, or he, could possibly want!"

"Perhaps not." He dismissed, standing up. "Draco is one of the most eligible men in wizarding Britain and will have no trouble with finding a wife when the time comes. You are a challenge to him Miss Granger and that tells me enough to know that I must approach this with seriousness. However, coming here today, I see this has been quite a waste of your time and mine. Whilst you are no doubt an intelligent young woman, ambitious and driven, you are unmoving on your expectations for yourself beyond what you know."

She gave him a hard stare. "I don't appreciate you coming here to insult me in this way."

"I mean no disrespect to you, Miss Granger. This is purely in the interests of my family. Let me put it to you simply. It is apparent to me that you are someone who considers compromise of any kind a burden, so I need not be worried in the long term."

Hermione could feel herself losing control, her heart rate accelerating as it thumped against her chest, her blood rushing to her head. "In that case we have nothing more to discuss and I ask you to please leave."

He nodded once and gracefully rose from the chair, letting his fingers slide over the snakehead of his cane as it moved with him at this side. "I apologise for taking up your time. I look forward to attending the launch. I expect it will be impeccable."

Hermione clenched the edge of her desk as she watched him walk out. She wasn't just angry at Lucius for his absurd rationalisation for coming to her office and insulting her in that way, she was angry at herself. Hermione collapsed into her chair, burying her face in her hands.

Something must have occurred for Lucius Malfoy to be worried enough to broach the subject of her suitability for his son and it made no sense given Malfoy was completely avoiding her. Never mind the embarrassment that Lucius had clued on that she and Draco were involved, it was his judgment of her that left her with a sudden feeling of emptiness.

Lucius Malfoy had indirectly called her narrow minded after she had warned him to steer clear of blood status. How was she even supposed to begin to digest the fact that he thought Draco was wasting his time because it was obvious to him that her life choices did not include taking on old family values? How arrogant of him!

Despite his piercing comments, he had hit on something she had failed to acknowledge about herself. That amongst her commitment to educating and serving the public, Hermione had not considered her own personal leap beyond what was comfortable to her, and he was right. While she expected more from Draco, she had never given thought to what it would mean for her to be with him - really be with him. Lucius was right. It was beyond her scope of ambition.

It suddenly stung.

It hurt more than Hermione wanted to admit. She inhaled deeply through her mouth as she tried to fight back the pool of tears.

Draco Malfoy was the embodiment of her prejudices and he knew that. That's why he had been holding back. Lucius simply confirmed it.

OOO

Hermione arrived home late to find the lights on in her apartment. She could hear the faint running of water come from her bathroom and instantly froze. An intruder was the last thing she needed to face with after today's ordeal. Taking her wand out, holding it tight, Hermione moved toward her bedroom. She turned the corner and stuck her head in her room. An overnight bag was thrown on the floor with its contents pouring out around it. She recognised one of the t-shirts and exhaled, walking into the room and toward the bathroom.

The intruder looked up at her through the reflection of the mirror, a toothbrush in his mouth.

She smiled. "Hi, Harry."

He winked at her and turned around, pulling the toothbrush out. "Hermione!" he mumbled through a mouthful of toothpaste.

"Was wondering when I'd see you." She walked in. He turned and spat the foam from his mouth and switched off the tap.

"I couldn't get leave till today. Hope my timing isn't too bad." He pulled her into a hug and squeezed. She didn't mind that he was half naked. It was the comfort of his return that had her smiling and squeezing back, enjoying his familiar warmth and smell.

"Couldn't have been more perfect." She pulled back. "I can see they've been working you hard." His torso had never looked so toned, and his skin glowed.

"South American lifestyle." He shrugged. "Keeps me busy."

Hermione laughed. "I bet it does. Grimmald Place still being leased out?"

He nodded. "You don't mind, do you?"

"Not at all." They had a lot of catching up to do.

A/N: Gotta love Lucius. Can you tell what inspired this chapter? hehe