A/N: Thank you all so much for your reviews, favorites and follows after last chapter! Apologies on the delay for this chapter - no good excuse for it, I really just forgot to post it :/ You can follow me on tumblr (nauticalparamour) where I post sneak peeks, story updates and answer questions!

Please let me know what you thought of chapter twenty-one and be on the lookout for chapter twenty-two soon!

July 1968

Getting away to see Rodolphus was easier than Hermione would have expected. Cedrella seemed embarrassed to have suggested that Lottie's family was somehow less than because her father was a muggleborn, and so she did everything that she could to promote the 'friendship' between the two girls. She also was fond of mentioning how progressive the Weasley family really was, and how it had caused a rift between herself and her family.

Hermione wanted to ask the older woman what she thought of Bellatrix and Andromeda and Narcissa Black and their respective romantic entanglements. Would Cedrella reach out to Andromeda when she was eventually disowned for falling in love with Ted Tonks? Or were they too separated by the Black family's twisting branches to care much for the younger witch?

But, Hermione thought that would be taking things a step too far, butting into Cedrella's family more than she already had. She wondered what Cedrella would think should she learn that her precious Bunny was cavorting with Rodolphus Lestrange when she said she giggling with Lottie St. Clair.

Things with Rodolphus had remained slightly strained, but their relations were steadily improving. Hermione was thrilled when she got an invitation to come over to his flat for dinner, and rushed to get ready, shouting to Cedrella a lie about where she was going. She barely even caught Arthur's worried look on the way out the floo.

Rodolphus met her at the Leaky Cauldron and walked the short distance to his building, which was all the way at the other end of the Alley in the much more fashionable part. The buildings got bigger, cleaner, and more stately the further that they walked from the entrance to Diagon Alley. He took her hand once they arrived outside his door, and he eagerly led her up the stairs until they were outside of his door.

Once they were inside, Rodolphus wasted no time in pressing her back against the locked door, kissing her eagerly. Hermione was happy to respond, deepening the kiss and sighing into him, thinking at how much she had missed this in just the week that they were apart. Still, she didn't want to spend the whole time snogging, and pressed back against his broad shoulders until her reluctantly freed her. "Give me a chance to look around, first," she teased with a grin.

Rodolphus look sheepish, rubbing at the back of his neck. "Sorry, I didn't mean to...I just missed you a lot," he revealed with a smile, looking at her fondly, before he turned and let her in. "This is my flat - nothing too spectacular, I am sure," he said, sweeping his arm in front of him to show off the area.

Even though he might not have thought his flat was anything special, it was quite impressive to Hermione. It seemed to take up nearly the whole floor of the building, with a luxe looking living room. "Well, show me around - I want to see all of it," she prodded, knowing that this was only a portion of it.

Taking her hand, Rodolphus led her down the hall to a simple looking kitchen. "Don't know how to do much in here. Usually just call for a house elf if I need something, or order something," he explained, noticing the distressed look on his face. "It's not as if I need to know how to make food for myself," he reminded her. Hermione supposed that it was true - he would likely always have someone to look after him, but it still didn't make her feel any better about his reliance on a house elf.

Instead of making a fuss, Hermione allowed herself to be lead back down the hallway. Rodolphus opened the door and poked his head inside. "Powder room - for guests," he explained. It was nice, of the same quality of everything else in the flat. It seemed to scream and advertise the wealth that Rodolphus's family had.

There were doors on either side of the powder room, the first leading into a guest room that Rodolphus confessed he hadn't had any uses for so far, but his friends had been talking about coming down for a visit. The door opposite lead to the massive master suite. "My room," he explained, leading her inside.

Rodolphus's room had enough space to accommodate a small study area, as well as a pair of loveseats in front of a fireplace. There was an ensuite bathroom with a gorgeous look clawfoot tub in the center, the sink already cluttered with his various toiletries, including the expensive cologne that he wore. The elephant in the room was clearly the large bed that dominated the center of the room, looking far too inviting by half. Hermione was drawn to it like a moth to a flame. It was large and when her fingers reached out, she confirm that the bedding was as comfortable as it looked.

She turned to look up at him, only half-way innocently, curious to see the emotions run across his face. He looked nearly...strangled by his desires, but determined not to give him. "Perhaps it was too presumptuous of me to bring you in here," he was barely able to choke out.

"Why?" Hermione asked, thinking it might be nice to snog him in a bed for once, not having to sneak around the library matron or bump into cleaning supplies in a cupboard.

"It's just...I wanted to celebrate with you first," he said, his eyes unable to leave her form when she sat on the edge of the beg, egging him on, even though she knew it was cruel to do to him. "I've prepared snacks and champagne and...I got my NEWT scores back."

News of his results got Hermione's attention more surely and she sprang up from the bed, crossing the room to meet him. "How did you do?" she asked, nibbling her lower lip nervously, wondering, needing to know how he had done. She so desperately wanted him to pass, to see that he had done well, thinking that it might be some sign of positive change in the former Slytherin, even if she never knew how he had done the first time around.

"I don't know," he answered, his eyes still flickering back and forth between her and the bed. "Didn't feel right to open them up if you weren't there."

Hermione made a slight noise of exasperation, before leading him back into the living room. "Merlin, how could you possibly live with the uncertainty? I would have been dying of curiosity!"

In the living room, Rodolphus had set out some charcuterie and cheeses, and a bottle of champagne sat chilling under a charm. The envelope holding his exam scores sat on the table as well. Rodolphus sat down on the couch before patting at the seat next to him. Once Hermione sat down next to him, he handed her the envelope holding his fate. "Go on, you open," he said, looking down into his lap. "I can't do it. Too nervous."

She was far too invested in him doing well to second guess the request. Sure fingers tore open the Ministry seal, before she greedily read the results. A noise bubbled up in her throat. "You've done well, Rodolphus!" she said, shoving the piece of paper in his hands. "You've passed everything."

He plucked the paper from her hands, checking to see that she wasn't messing with him. He'd mostly received Exceeds Expectations, along with one Acceptable, but what stood out most of all the was the Outstanding in History of Magic. "Oof," Rodolphus said, leaning back into the couch, staring up at the ceiling in wonderment and surprise. "See if my father can sniff at that. A bloody Outstanding?!" he murmured, looking exceptionally proud of himself.

Hermione had already opened the bottle of champagne and was pouring them each a glass, pressing one coupe glass into his hand. "Congratulations, Rodolphus," she said, stretching to press a wet kiss to his cheek. "I knew you could do it."

Their glasses clinked together, sending a resounding ring to reverberate through the room. They both drank their portions readily enough and more champagne was to be had, ready to celebrate. For once, Rodolphus was happy to tell her about his work that he'd been doing, seeing as his mentor had sent him to do research on the Statute of Secrecy, something that he had some interest in. Without supervision, he'd spent most of his time reading in the library at the Ministry, but some time goofing off as well, even sneaking off to watch a summer Quidditch match with Flint.

"I can't believe your father would have you live here," she said in passing, thinking it was rather extravagant, and allowed Rodolphus far too much freedom - especially seeing as Rodolphus had suggested his father would want to control his life after Hogwarts. "Seems it would be difficult to keep an eye on you when he could just have you floo into the Ministry from your home."

Rodolphus shrugged his shoulders, perhaps never giving the topic much thought. "He's alright with it, so long as I come home for dinner once a week. I am sure old Nott gives him daily updates on my goings on at the Ministry, too," he said rolling his eyes, pulling Hermione closer to his body. "Recently, he's been wanting me to meet an associate of his - someone named Tom Riddle or something."

Hermione felt her stomach turn in agony - the first mention of Voldemort in weeks and it had come from Rodolphus's mouth. She wondered when he stopped using his father's name. "Oh?" she found herself asking, feeling as if she were floating out of her body.

"Yeah, apparently he's been doing lots of good work with the whole squib rebellion and all my father's friends are real impressed with him," Rodolphus explained, pressing his hands to her waist. "Thinks I might find him inspiring, but I am sure that he's nothing special."

She gave him a tight smile even when he pulled her into his lap, encouraging her to straddle his trim waist. Pressed against him, Hermione rested her hands on his shoulders, looking down at him. "I don't want to talk about your work or politics any more tonight," she said, needing to be distracted from the terrible turn of events.

To her relief, Rodolphus was not too committed to the topic of conversation either, especially not when his hands were on her hips. No, he seemed far more interested in the sight in front of him. HIs hand traced up her back until it was gently cradling her neck, pulling her down for a kiss. Hermione was happy to return it eagerly, unwilling to give up Rodolphus. She moaned against him when his deft fingers worked to undo the buttons on her blouse - large hands cupping her breasts through her bra. Her body felt like it was made from lava when his hips jerked against hers involuntarily, unable to hide his body's natural response to their closeness. She kissed him until she'd forgotten everything else - the squib rebellion, mentions of Tom Riddle, thoughts of the past or the future, even Rodolphus's last name. In that moment, nothing else mattered but the feelings that he was creating in her body.

It was only when he made to move like he was going to pick her up and carry her off to his bedroom to have his way with her that Hermione reluctantly broke the kiss with a groan, a blush on her cheeks when she saw how utterly mused she was. "That might be a little too much for my first visit to your flat," she said, teasing. It wasn't that she wasn't ready to take that next step with Rodolphus, but she knew that would be the point of no return for her heart.

"Understandable," he answered, adjusting himself through his pants, completely unembarrassed. "It is rather late - I better get you back to the apparition point, or else the Weasleys will never let you visit St. Clair again," he teased back, fulling embracing the ruse that Hermione had selected. "Think they would let you visit France with them?" he asked,tentatively.

She wasn't able to stop the grin from forming on her face, thinking of how wonderful that would be. "I'll have to ask Cedrella and let Lottie know as soon as possible so she can start planning," she answered with a kiss, ready to see where the rest of summer took them.