Disclaimers, Author's Notes, etc. can all be found in Chapter One.

~~~

There was certain disappointment in being considered only an odious presence rather than someone to be reckoned with. However, Lucius Malfoy had always been of the opinion that it is better to live by any means necessary than to die nobly.

He was very much still alive much to the disappointment of Rebeus Hagrid and Argus Filch. They had let him in to Hogwarts though. No one thought he was much of a threat without his "Master."

He didn't rightly care very much. He had lost so much from not dying as a Deatheater that he didn't mind the fools having their bit of sport with him.

All right, so he did mind, but he wasn't a stupid man. He had bigger matters to deal with.

It had been a shame to lose Crabbe and Goyle. Even in this sorry state of affairs, those two would have respected him. The idiots had gotten themselves killed. Narcissa had finally left him. Come to think of it, playing the role of the coward had gotten rid of a good deal of excess baggage. He still had a son, he had still had his dignity, his wand and his life. 

Besides, you couldn't lose respect from people who never respected you. The only way to rule was through fear. He wasn't a threat now, but someday he might very well be one again. He'd probably live through that experience as well. Perhaps it was something in the Malfoy Blood that saw them through just about anything.

People underestimated the value of pity, Lucius mused as he walked past the Great Hall, stopping only briefly to look at the new crop of Slytherins.

It was pity that had given his son a rather good position—of sorts—at Hogwarts. Snape had a soft spot for his son evidentially. Probably was hoping to save the boy from his bastard father, which suited his bastard father just fine.

Lucius held no beliefs that his son offered much promise, however. Doubtlessly any other candidate would have deserved the position more than his son. That insufferable Granger girl, for one.

That was a juicy bit of irony. Voldemort was dead and still Mudbloods would reap no benefits.

 He sighed and he stopped in front of the library. Where on Earth was his son anyway?

A useless, useless boy.

And a stupid one.

Draco could have easily gone with his mother off to…where ever it was women of her kind went when they had finished serving their purpose of the over-arching scheme of things.

Instead he stayed. The boy was obviously a glutton for punishment.

~~~

Lucius tapped his cane on the stone floor. It had been fifteen minutes and Draco still hadn't bothered to show up. Children really were a nuisance.

He scowled and sighed looking around the corridor he stood in, Hogwarts really never changed at all.

He blinked as he felt someone collide into him and glanced down just in time to grab a book out of the air. The rest clattered to the floor and he frowned. It was a frown that quickly turned into a cold, calculating smile.

Yes, Hogwarts never changed at all and a testament to that was Hermione Granger.

He was feeling slightly charitable so he greeted her in a polite manner.

"Ah, Miss Granger, still living here at Hogwarts, I see."

He had caught her off-guard, he could tell. She stared at his gloved hand before looking up at him. Yet even for a Mudblood, he would concede that she had a quick tongue.

"Mr. Malfoy…still alive and in the fullness of health."

"Worried about my health, Miss Granger, that's sweet of you."

It seemed to surprise everyone that he was still alive. It pleased him because no one seemed thrilled at the news but no one did anything about it.

She offered no reply so he looked the girl over stopping when he came to her hair. Was that dust? Disgusting. Did none of the Gryffindors ever bathe?

Still, for whatever reason, he didn't see any reason to insult her. Perhaps because there was really no need to ridicule her without an audience.

"Draco never mentioned you being a librarian here at Hogwarts."

She looked confused. "I'm not a librarian, I'm an Assistant Professor."

Oh, so she had accepted whatever positions had been left once his son had taken the one she must have wanted. Almost a shame. He felt rather torn between loathing his son and teasing the girl, but there really was no need because she'd be embarrassed anyway.

"Ah, I assumed from the dust in your hair that you were working under Madame Pince."

"Dust?"

It came as almost an unbidden thought that she was certainly pretty for a girl her age. He frowned making a face of disgust at the thought before gently touching her hair. His gloves came away practically covered in glittering powder.

A spell gone wrong? Odd, the girl seemed to be pretty good at magic.

She made a face as well and seemed to shudder slightly. She had obviously not liked that at all. But whatever revulsion she felt became embarrassment. Her cheeks blushed and her ears turned slightly red.

"Yes, well, it's from…"

Lucius had the vague suspicion that he was almost enjoying this conversation…and her company, which was rather annoying. If she continued to talk, he'd probably stay and converse with her.

He waved a hand dismissively. "I wouldn't worry about it too much, Miss Granger."

She stared at him for awhile. She seemed ill-at-ease. He gathered it was probably because he hadn't said anything even vaguely insulting to her. This conversation suddenly felt painfully awkward.

He suddenly remembered the book in his hands and without so much as glancing at the cover, he handed it to her. Maybe he was just distracted from waiting for Draco.

"Thank you," she managed.

"You're welcome."

He turned to go but she spoke so he turned back towards her.

"And what brings you to Hogwarts. Surely you didn't come all this way to examine the amount of dust I had on my hair."

Almost surreal. Was she insulted that he wasn't insulting her? He smiled. That was rather intriguing.

"I came to visit my son, if you must know. I suppose bumping into you was just an additional…pleasure."

Dear Lord, had he just said that it was a pleasure? A pleasure? He didn't  show his slight embarrassment, he just stood there and waited for her to say something.

"Ah."

And then silence…they looked at one another. He waited for her to point out that what he said, maybe even question it. She seemed to be waiting for an assault on her character. He didn't feel quite willing to provide her with one.

Instead… "Is there anything else, Miss Granger?"

She frowned. "No."

Lucius was beginning to feel almost trapped in conversation with the Granger girl.

"Good day to you then."

She hesitated. "…Good day."

He turned on his heel and walked away. He would just have to hunt Draco down himself. He felt rather annoyed with himself. Getting distracted by some Mudblood who really shouldn't even be giving him the time of day.

He'd just try not to think about it. He could just take it out on Draco. He would take it out on Draco. Then he stopped as he spotted his son who was moving towards him with an almost sheepish expression on his face.

He scowled. It was going to be a long day.

tbc