Chapter 38

Hermione stayed with Lucius that night, after Draco left. She stayed in his bed, all night. They had sex again in the dark. No rush this time, no one to hide from, the house was quiet and dark, and nothing else existed but the caresses and kisses. Hermione held nothing back. She hadn't noticed the constant tension of denying wanting him until she stopped denying. He was well and truly under her skin.

She had fought so hard to be somewhere else, but now that she was here, there was no other place where she wanted to be. The world didn't exist outside of this bed. She couldn't stop touching him, even while sleeping, she wanted some part of her to touch him.

They did it again first thing in the morning and then she watched him dress. A meticulous process, each step considered like putting on armour. He became sterner and more forbidding as his shell came on. Each step moving him further away from the more gentle version of him that she had given herself to during the night.

She ached to take those clothes off, but he had to leave. Hermione considered tempting him back, but she was a little sore and in dire need of a hot bath.

And a good eight hours stretched before she saw him again.

The evenings became her favourite time, other than the sex, because he would come home, they would have dinner than then talk as he had his port. Actually they would argue. His stance on things were different from hers, and they would debate the merits. It would get heated and that would sometimes lead to kissing, or even rushed desperate sex when passions got too inflamed.

He liked arguing with her, she could tell. He made his points well, in the end it boiled down to perceptions, beliefs and stereotypes. Over time they pinpointed their fundamental differences, but they were also able to agree on some common fundamental objectives.

Lucius was good to his word, he let the muggleborns back into Hogwarts. He didn't like it and it was not part of his vision for achieving a good future. His means to a good future did not include strangers coming in and ruining things. And when Hermione demanded that he specify exactly how she had ruined things, he had a bit to say about how she had ruined his life, his plans, his marriage and above all his peace of mind.

But when she offered her most sincere apologies and if there was anything she could do to make up for it, he had some ideas there too. And that evening reached its conclusion on the rug in front of the fire.

"I just don't think entailing property is right in this day and age. Its an old fashioned concept. The muggles got rid of it a century ago, maybe a bit less, but it was a long time ago." Hermione argued one evening.

"It is how things are done." Malfoy said. "Estates need to be kept together."

"Women are perfectly able to keep estates together."

"But they marry and their property gets diluted."

"That's ridiculous. Denying property to women is just a way of suppressing them."

"Women aren't denied the right to hold property." Lucius said. "There are no laws that say women cannot own property."

"But entailing estates is fine?"

"It is needed for stability. Irrespective of intent, women join the families they marry into. And that dilutes the family. Traditions are lost, history is lost."

"Marriage is an agreement of two people. That is all." She said.

"But the children are born into one family. Draco is a Malfoy and will always be a Malfoy, whatever sympathy he has for the Black family, his allegiance will always be to the Malfoy name. You don't understand such allegiance because you are a woman."

"Oh please." Hermione said. "Women understand allegiance and duty, it may not be in the form that you promote."

"Women's allegiance is to their husbands."

"Women's allegiance is to do what is right for her and her family. If that coincides with the husbands objectives, that great, but not necessary."

"A society cannot challenge a bond between husband and wife, it is the foundation of society."

"I don't agree, doing what is best for your children is above all most important."

"You do not understand marriage, you are too young." He said dismissively. "A prosperous family requires unity and deference. The Blacks prove that point quite nicely. The Black name is now lost."

Hermione had trouble arguing that the Black family was a failure considering that half of the children were disowned and one side of it killed members of the other.

"Children come first." Hermione said.

"The family comes first, only within it will children thrive."

They argued politics, philosophy and history every evening. Often these arguments would run in circles, hinging on the same fundamental bones of contention. Lucius valued tradition, family history and constancy, Hermione didn't know anything about her grandparents other than there names, and she strongly felt that each person knows what is best for them. According to Hermione change allowed for better things, while Lucius felt change dilutes what works well.

Hermione could always make her views known and sometimes she could entice him to change his opinion. She knew if she got on her knees in front of his chair and nipped suggestively at his pants, he would agree to just about anything. For the pleasure of having her take him in her mouth, he would agree to give up absolutely everything. He didn't necessarily stick to those concessions afterwards, but it was nice to hear. Sometimes his opinions softened a bit.

Hermione began to venture out during the day. She spent time in Diagon Alley, even ran into Neville one day. It was nice to talk to one of her old friends. Ginny and Ron hadn't quite forgiven her for her treachery, as they saw it. Hermione was well used to their censure by now, but it still hurt.

Hermione had lunch with Neville again the next week, and they made it a weekly thing. Hermione knew that she had to start getting a proper life if she was going to make this work. She couldn't spend her days waiting for Lucius to come home.

She considered her option for jobs, and considered applying for a few. There were some nice jobs in the Ministry, but she wasn't sure she was up to the stifling bureaucracy. There was a research position going in a law firm that she considered.

Lucius stiffened when she mentioned that she was thinking of applying.

"You do not need to work." Lucius said. "I can more than provide for anything you require."

"But you cannot give me something to do all day."

"You can do anything you wish."

"I wish to get a job." She said. "I want to do something meaningful with my life and rattling around this big house just doesn't qualify."

Lucius was not warming to the idea, but there wasn't anything he could say. Malfoy women didn't work, but she wasn't a Malfoy. She wasn't even officially his girlfriend.

The issue of what she was, was left unanswered, but it came to a head when there was a ball planned for the end of troubles and the approach of a brand new era. People were grumbling a bit about the state of affairs and the publicity department at the Ministry felt that a ball would set everything right. It was set to be the event of the year.

Hermione was intent on going. She wanted to see people, people she hadn't seen in a while. She needed to expand her social circle. Lucius had to go due to him holding office within the Ministry, but Hermione suspected that he preferred that she stay at home, both of them ideally. But he knew better than to say so.

Hermione suggested that they go separately, and Lucius didn't like that either, but he could not suggest any other arrangement. Hermione wasn't entirely sure why he didn't like her leaving the house, but he was distinctly anxious when she left.

She bought a gown, a lovely gown in a dusty pink that went really well with her skin tone. She wasn't entirely short on cash as she could access money left to her by Harry. Lucius really didn't like that she used her own money. He had issues about money, that was certain, and rejecting his money meant something to him.

She just didn't feel right using his money, but she was having a hard time explaining that in a way that didn't sound like she was rejecting him. She just wasn't keen on the idea of patronage. It was a small distinction and she was having trouble explaining it.

They didn't enter the ball together. But he was never too far away. People wanted his attention and he was engaged in conversation the entire night.

Hermione found the younger Gryffindor set. Ginny and Ron were both there and while they were cordial, they were a little distant. It was still really good to see everyone. It turned out to be a great night. Hermione had fun. Dean asked her to dance and she accepted. It was a ball after all.

Dean took her onto the dance floor and the dance started. It was formal ballroom dancing, but it was still fun. She hadn't danced formally since school.

It didn't take long into the dance before Lucius cut in.

"I don't like you dancing with other men." He said. "I don't like them having their hands on you."

"I would not normally approve of jealously, but I admit it is flattering." Hermione said as he held her a little too close for convention. "You can trust me you know. I am not going to run off with some guy. And if you keep holding me like this, someone is going to take note."

Lucius did not let her go.

"Perhaps people need to know that you are off limits." He said.

Hermione was having trouble reading him. He looked intent on something and it didn't become clear until he pulled her in and kissed her languidly and thoroughly.