My usual housekeeping of course, thank you all for your support, reviews follows and favourites. It's tough to keep focussed and find the enthusiasm to write sometimes but your words keep me going, if not as quickly as before. There is still very much a plot to this story which has not been forgotten but as we all know in these times a little distraction never hurt anyone as of course Mister Bond will attest to. SO please continue to enjoy and I will continue to write. Thank you all and of course as always apologies for any errors whatever they maybe and however you might see them...

Malfoy Manor might have had the darkly foreboding building she remembered from her teens on the outside, but the interior bore absolutely no resemblance to the memories she had of it. In fact she would have been forgiven for thinking that they hadn't in fact actually left Lucius' swanky spa hotel.

"We left your hotel didn't we? I Mean we haven't just flooed to another part of it?"

There was that eyebrow again accompanied by another smug smile. Hermione's eyes continued to flitter around her in disbelief.

"Not quite as you remember it." He observed with a certain amount of amusement.

But despite his smile, the former Death Eater was very careful with his words, knowing full well his ancestral home could hold no pleasant recollections for Hermione Granger. For a long time he had felt the same, his own happy memories marred the Dark Lord and his own foolish beliefs. After the war Lucius had been left with two choices, to leave the only home he'd ever known or to eradicate those latter memories himself.

"That Mister Malfoy is something of an understatement." Hermione's own thought's briefly slipping back to another time and it would appear a very different place.

When she had joined the Ministry as an Unspeakable, Hermione's paths had crossed with many witches and wizards from her past. They of course believed that the woman once part of the golden trio, now opted for a quitter existence, dealing with imports and exports for the Ministry of Magic. Some had been her friends, other not so much but as with Lucius Malfoy, Hermione had given them all the benefit of the doubt, a second chance. Keeping the past firmly where it belonged, in the past, what was done was done.

That said, had Bellatrix Lestrange survived her fierce clash with Molly Weasley at the Battle of Hogwarts, Hermione was not sure if she could have extended her the same curtesy. This house was just bricks and mortar but the memory of what had happened to her here still made her blood run a little cold. Pride however now got the better of her, she had now carved herself a certain image with the master of this house and she was not about to let any ghosts from the past haunt her or diminish that.

"Of course I really only recall the floors Lucius, but I see that you have re-carpeted since I was last here."

Lucius swallowed hard, whilst her comment was as pithy as he'd come to expect, a little sarcastic and more than likely being used to cover up the memories he knew she must have, it also reminded him of his own misdemeanours of the past. The heinous things he had allowed happen in his own home, the equally heinous things he himself had done. He wasn't quite so adept at the dark humour as Hermione and struggling to find words left an uneasy silence hanging in the air.

Hermione sensed his unease; under no circumstances did she want to stir those ghosts or trawl over what she now considered ancient history. She certainly did not want to jeopardise the "relationship" working or otherwise she had forged with him over the last few days, and there were much higher things at stake now too. The much older Hermione Granger was also determined to enjoy the new danger that he had threatened her with.

"So tell me Lucius other than re-carpeting what else have you done with the place. Is there a hot tub here too?"

She gave him a wicked grin, her eyes twinkling hopefully, her body stirring at the thought.

"A solarium, tennis court perhaps?" She went on.

The images of the dark wizard playing tennis or donning protective goggles still amusing her.

"Well funny you should mention those." Lucius said, visibly relaxing once more.

"There was an entire wing of the Manor doing next to nothing and in desperate need of modernisation."

He gestured for Hermione to proceed him from the enormous now much brighter, more cheerful hallway and down one of three corridors leading from it. A door before her swung open and after descending two or three steps Hermione found herself in a glass conservatory type structure almost identical to that at Firefly. A beautiful and very large swimming pool was lit by the sun which streamed through the high transparent ceiling. Dark wooded steamer chairs with plush silver grey cushions were dotted around its edge, some facing the clear blue water, others pointing towards the windows, overlooking the stunning gardens, where white peacocks sauntered by the floor to ceiling windows.

"Wow!"

Hermione couldn't find much more to say, so stunned was she with the sheer beauty of the place and by its actual existence.

Lucius smiled, lifted his hand, and muttered a few words, all of the glass around them retracted and opened, effectively making his indoor pool area, very much and outdoor pool area.

Hermione was truly stunned, it really was beautiful although she wasn't entirely sure she could see Lucius reclining on one of the comfortable looking chairs with his sunglasses and a book either, it was another image to go along with the tennis and solarium.

"The hot tub is over there amidst the tropical plants and the sauna just behind that."

He indicated a raised area just to the left of the pool garnished with tall palms and exotic flowers, again very similar to those at his hotel.

"When the roof and windows are closed they automatically produce a prolonged Lumos Solem charm, so you can just relax and enjoy as if you were sitting in real sunlight."

She still had great difficulty in picturing this palest of men reclining on one of the comfortable looking chairs with a book and sunglasses, wearing nothing but a pair of snuggling fitting swimming trunks. Although her overactive imagination had no problem imagining him immerging from the shimmering pool, the sun shining on his well-toned body, the water dripping from him, those already snug trunks clinging even tighter to his ample physique. That same unimaginable, yet clearly vividly imaginable scenario still managing to heat her blood, well parts of it, those incredibly well-fitting trunks especially. She drew her fanciful gaze from the man in question, walking around the far side of the pool, its edge all but sparkling with white and grey marble tiles. Something suddenly caught her eye, a quick darting movement in the clear blue water. Two large vicious looking barracudas circled the deep base of the pool. This time her eyes did collide with those of the dark wizard, as always his handsome chiselled features gave nothing away.

Were they real fish Hermione wondered or was the bottom of the exceptionally large pool simply enchanted like the ceiling in the Great Hall at Hogwarts?

Hermione watched the large fearsome looking creatures scooting around; natural history had always been something the young Hermione Granger had loved and taken a keen interest in. Whilst fish weren't something she knew an awful lot about; she did know they didn't usually thrive in chlorine filled swimming pools. She also knew that this particular species were scavengers, feasting on the remains of other creatures or on smaller fish, neither of which were in abundance at the bottom of Lucius' very clean pool. Hermione inhaled deeply, she had a very sharp sense of smell and whilst not overwhelmed with the bleachy scent of chlorine, she felt the merest hint nonetheless tickle her nostrils.

Devilment was never too far from her heels when it came to Lucius Malfoy; she was eager to keep both of their minds from the past and also perhaps demonstrate her fearlessness to him first-hand. His face remained impassive as she continued to focus her gaze on him. It remained that way as she kicked off Draco's transfigured trainers and the rest of the clothing she wore, catching only the tiniest shift of eyebrow as she stepped from her own lacy knickers and executed a sleek, flawless dive into crystal clear water.

Lucius watched; like a mermaid her slender, naked body cut effortlessly through the water, it rippled and bubbled about her as she swam to the very bottom of the pool and back to the top.

Running a hand through her mane of wet hair she pushed it from her face, smiling enticingly at him.

"Very impressive Lucius." She said tucking some errant tendrils behind her ears.

Lucius gave her a slow smile, that drifted easily into a distinct sneer.

"Despite appearances my dear, I do have an image and a reputation of old to uphold and it amuses me to do so. Fortunately, not all of my guests think the way you do."

A smooth breaststroke carried Hermione back to the very edge of the perfectly heated pool, even in it she could barely smell the sanitising chlorine. Leaning on those beautiful sparkling tiles she looked up at her looming host.

"That really is probably just as well." She said allowing her gaze to drift up and down him in a decidedly lustful way.

"Do you swim Lucius or is the pool like your ferocious looking fish."

She sunk sharply under the water as if she had been grabbed by something sinister below the surface, allowing her head to bob up and her hair to fan out, before being dragged down once more. Slowly resurfacing she gave Lucius the same lustful look, her eyes sparkling like the water and a hint of a smile curving her mouth.

"Just... for … show…?" Her slow tone was mocking, accentuating her provocative words.

Unlike on the previous occasion, Lucius was not of a mind to perform a slow striptease under the watchful gaze of Miss Hermione Granger, he divested himself of all of his clothing with the aid of a quick spell and with the same skill and grace as she, dived lithely in.

This time the young witch was grabbed by something sinister below the surface of the water, something much more dangerous and far more powerful than the enchanted fish which circled its depths, the long crushing fingers of Lucius Malfoy curled about her slim ankle yanking her sharply down.

Instinctively she turned into him, the velocity of the water giving her a buoyancy which pulled her own naked body back up and against his. They both emerged at the same time, tossing long wet hair from their faces, and breathing heavily. Hermione could see from Lucius' eyes that swimming was the last thing on his mind, but devilment and adrenaline were still coursing through her veins.

Her smile was sweet and amenable, as Lucius' face came closer to hers. She slipped effortlessly from his wet grasp and swiftly dove once more beneath the clear surface. Evading Lucius Malfoy in the depths was like out swimming a predatory shark. He sliced through the water with power, grace, and consummate ease and with the same focussed intent as the deadly fish.

His narrowed but amused eyes searched for the shadow of her body under the rippling water, taking in a deep breath of air before he to dove once more beneath the surface. Kicking out he looked left and right his grey blue eyes finally falling upon her quickly moving frame, he kicked out with his strong legs once more, harder this time, reaching out to grab her, only to have his fist close around water. Gasping for air now, he stopped, standing in the shallower part wiping water and hair from his flushed face. Regaining his breath Lucius again hunted the pool for her rapidly moving form, jumping suddenly as Hermione turned the tables on him. A slim hand snaking sensually around his ankle, up over his calf and finally tightening back around his ankle, teasing him. Moving swiftly, Lucius dived into the water once more narrowly missing her leg as she brushed enticingly by him, swimming expertly and easily beyond his grasp yet again, like a fish avoiding the hook.

"You're not trying." She mocked him laughingly as he rose from the water flicking his long blonde hair away from his face.

The smile of wicked intent on the dark wizard's face made Hermione's heartbeat even faster than it already was. The longer he took to catch her the more wound up he would be antagonising sharks could also be a very dangerous pastime. But clearly he had absolutely no intention of chasing her.

This was a man very much used to getting his own way, what he wanted and quickly, crooking his forefinger he beckoned her to come closer. Hermione gave him a look which said, "I don't think so". Shaking her head, her eyes widened as she disappeared back below the surface.

Cunningly Lucius held his position in the water, allowing it to still around him, watching like a bird eyeing its prey as she moved stealthily in the depths. When she moved quickly passed him he dove straight at her, wrapping his powerful arms about her he hauled her to the surface.

"You my dear Miss Granger are very trying." He growled breathlessly, laughter lighting his pale eyes, desire darkening them as she spun around, her legs wrapping themselves around his waist, her arms about his neck.

Hermione offered him a feigned look of hurt, her heart now beating wildly against his broad chest.

"Is this where I find myself in more danger than before?" Hermione asked her voice soft and equally breathless.

His expressive eyes were now almost as dark as that predatory shark, his desire obvious.

"Most definitely." He concurred leaning forward and pressing his lips to hers in a soft surprisingly tender kiss. Pulling back he watched her beautiful flushed face closely, this time it was an easy silence which hung in the air, perforated only by the sound of their still laboured breathing.

"I'm scared." She said, trying to keep her face compliant with her words.

Lucius knew that not a million years was Hermione Granger scared by him or of the situation she had willingly placed herself in. This woman he had discovered had ridden a dragon from Gringotts, was contemplating polyjuicing into Vesper Drax and had dived naked into what could have been a pool of real barracudas, her obvious risk assessment aside. This was clearly a woman not overly familiar with the word fear, not now anyway.

"So I see" He answered in the same husky tone, he too keeping his features schooled with his sarcastic response.

Leaning forward, he pressed his lips back to hers, leaving them there…waiting…knowing.

His threatening words of the danger Hermione would be putting herself in at Malfoy Manor had done just what he had intended them to do…provoked her curiosity, provoked her, and provoked a very heated response.

"Tell me Lucius…" She spoke against his mouth, the subtle taste of chlorine on hips lips finally reaching her senses.

"Do you like the idea of me being scared of you, does it arouse you?"

Hermione's legs were still wrapped around him, her sex against his burgeoning erection but she didn't move.

How very perceptive she was or perhaps he hadn't done as well as he thought, concealing his darker side, he was certainly not concealing his arousal. Her tongue crept forward, into his mouth lightly pressing against his. Lucius moaned softly in response to her questions and her action; this was hardly a woman that was scared of him.

He loved that she was not afraid to take control. Had done things to him that he had only imagined in his fantasies, but that very dark side of him thrilled at the thought of scaring her, of dominating her, causing her blood to rush and wonder what he was going to do next. There was something in him that thrilled at the fact that he could still scare her, even if more than likely he most certainly couldn't.

"Everything about you arouses me." He shifted ever so slightly as if to emphasise his point, his now fully aroused cock pressing hard against her beneath the water.

Hermione moved with the same subtly, the heat of her body and the gentle lapping of the water causing him to inhale deeply.

"But yes there is a dark side of me which is excited by the idea." He acknowledged frankly through almost gritted teeth.

Her mouth was still only millimetres from his, they might now be on the same side, but should she really be so aroused and excited by him? Part of her said an emphatic no, the other part delighted in his hard body pressing against hers.

"The Lucius Malfoy of old, as opposed to the old Lucius Malfoy." Her mouth twitched in amusement as a familiar brow rose at her words.

His predatory eyes darkened still further like a shark looking for trouble.

"Unfortunately however that must remain purely a fantasy." His tone was hushed and sexy, his breath caressing her lips as he spoke.

Astonished by his admission, Hermione drew back, a questioning look on her wet face.

Lucius' hands drifted up and down her partly submerged back, across the swell of her arse and over her ribs to cup her breasts. His uncharacteristically dark gaze never once leaving her curious face.

"Yes my dear that dark side of me does find the notion of you being scared of me incredibly erotic." He reiterated his words.

"And as a fantasy it works very well. But Hermione Granger scared of me, never. Not even when you were 12 years old, not when I had you restrained with an Incarcerous conjunction or when you thought I was going to kill you."

Hermione's astonishment grew at his even franker admission. Wondering if he really had had fantasies about her, a notion she too found incredibly erotic, and making a mental note to ask.

"Fear is not just about terror, of being frightened Lucius, it is about the unknown. If I didn't know what you were going to do to me for instance."

His thumbs moved with slow deliberation over her hardened nipples, the sensation momentarily robbing her of breath. Lucius jumped in…

"You still enjoy quoting fear at me my dear." He said his voice as smooth a vanilla.

Hermione regained her stride as it were.

"I am sure as a man with such dark fantasies there would be something…"

She didn't elaborate, she had laid a trail of breadcrumbs he could pick them up if he wanted to.

Lucius felt another almost imperceptible movement against his lower body and he restrained the urge to growl at the sensation. She was going to be here at Malfoy Manor for a few weeks…

"Oh I am sure I can think of something …" He said with a quiet menace to his tone.

"Right now however, I am sure you know exactly what I am going to do to you."