Cho's Chic
Chapter 5
The next day, Lucius Malfoy came to collect his finished suit, and try it on for the last time. He behaved exactly as if nothing had occurred between Cho and himself in front of Alan, and even called her "Miss Chang". He seemed to pick up on Cho's subdued mood as she helped him into his jacket in the privacy of the cubicle. He turned to look at her. "You're very quiet, my dear," he observed, in an uncharacteristically gentle tone. "You seem troubled. I hope I'm not the cause?"
Cho had resolved to maintain her control, but this unexpected display of sympathy overcame her, and tears filled her eyes. I mustn't, she thought, If he thinks it's because I love him, he'll just walk out. She gulped, "No, it's not you. It's your son."
Lucius' eyebrows arched meaningfully, and he stared at her. His grey eyes were suddenly hard. "Explain," he barked. Cho took a deep breath, then, following Alan's suggestion the previous evening, related carefully what had happened with Draco. She left nothing out. She hardly dared to look at Lucius. When she had finished, she saw his jaw was set determinedly, his eyes like flint. He had lost all interest in his appearance. "Pack up the suit and I'll pay you as agreed. I'm sure everything is perfect, I don't need to check in the mirror to make sure you know what you're doing. Now help me out of these trousers."
Lucius apparated in the grounds of Malfoy Manor. He was incandescent with rage. He found Draco in the second place he looked, on the croquet lawn, experimenting with different ways of destroying the rabbits that persisted in invading from the nearby meadow. Lucius' dramatic entrance, black cloak swirling round him and blond hair flying, made Draco look up at once. When he saw the expression on his father's face, he blanched. Lucius stood there and regarded his son with an expression of utter contempt.
"Just what did you think you would achieve by thrusting yourself into Cho Chang's face?" he asked in a voice little more than a whisper, every word articulated perfectly. Draco shivered involuntarily. He had seen every shade of his father's anger, from violence to perfectly controlled rage. His father was much more dangerous when he was like this, quiet, but trembling with fury. "You didn't think she'd have the presence of mind to tell me, did you? Well, she did tell me exactly what you did, you little fool. Please explain to me what you thought you were doing?"
Draco said nothing, just stared at his father with a mixture of fear and loathing. Lucius continued, in a low menacing voice, "Well, I'll tell you then. You don't like the fact that women your age seem to prefer your father to you. So you decided to punish her by forcing yourself on her, because you don't seem to have much success the other way, do you?
"Well, listen to me, Draco, and listen well. You don't interfere with any of my business, whether that is money, women or anything else. You have your own allowance, you may spend it any way you choose. Buy women if you want to. Pay for any perversion that appeals to you. Force yourself on that unspeakable Miss Granger if you like. But you will leave Cho Chang alone for two reasons: one, because at the moment I find her amusing, and no son of mine will ever come between me and any woman; and two, because her grandfather is Sun Chang. If they had taught you anything of any value while you were wasting your time at Hogwarts, you would have learnt who he is. Sun Chang is the world's biggest trader in Chinese jade. Do you know what that means? Jade is the second major source of Gringott's wealth after gold, and you may perhaps recall that jade also has magic properties. Chang controls the world price of jade. No wizard with a minuscule amount of sense would cross him. Chinese wizards are notorious for protecting their own.
"And as for your mother, I'm sure she already knows, she and I have an understanding. I expect she was with young McGregor herself last night. You'd just be making a bigger fool of yourself to say anything to her.
"So, Draco, do I make myself clear? Cho Chang's business is to succeed, you will say nothing but good about her to potential clients from good families.
"Just be grateful that I don't thrash you within an inch of your life."
Hermione Granger looked up in surprise when an owl dropped a small package into her lap as she sat in the huge library of Transpires University. The owl did not stop for a drink after its trip, so she guessed it had not come very far. She watched it fly out of the high window, trying to identify it. She was sure she had seen it before, but could not place it.
Curiously, she opened the package. When she saw what it contained, she stared in amazement, blushed, looked around furtively to check that nobody else had seen anything, and shoved it all back in the envelope. At first, she tried to carry on working, but then gave it up as a bad job, and returned to her tiny flat in the university grounds. There she poured herself a large glass of wine, and then gingerly opened the package again, spreading out the contents on the kitchen table.
There were four magic photographs showing two people, obviously unaware that they were observed, in flagrante delicto. There was no mistaking the identity of the pair: it was Lucius Malfoy and Cho Chang. The photographer had taken each picture from a different angle so that there should be no doubting this fact. Because the pictures were magic, and moved, Hermione felt like a voyeur. The ecstasy in the two faces was unmistakable: Cho had not been forced. Hermione was disturbed by her own reaction to the pictures: on the one hand she was repelled, on the other she felt aroused.
Lucius decided to pay Cho Chang a surprise visit. He had not seen her since his confrontation with Draco. His only communication with Cho had been a message by owl telling her that he had spoken to Draco, and the matter had been resolved. The prominent wizarding families would still be her customers, in fact his wife herself would shortly be in touch. Following that, Lucius had deliberately been uncommunicative for two weeks. This was his usual style: once an object of desire had been seduced, he let her wait. If she made any attempt to contact him without very good reason (and this did not include a lovesick devotion to him), then the affair was over. If she did not, then he would contact her again at his own convenience.
Lucius knew about the flat above the shop, but had not yet been inside it. He apparated in the living room, and looked around curiously. The place was small and tidy but homely, with comfortable easy chairs and a sofa, and bookshelves adorned with a mixture of well-thumbed books, ranging from magic texts, through Muggle books on sewing and tailoring, to novels. Lucius also examined the other rooms, noting with satisfaction that Cho slept in a large luxurious bed, then sat down to wait patiently. Stretching out in one of the armchairs, and resting his booted feet on the coffee table, he began to read a copy of the Daily Prophet, turning first to the Daily Profit pages.
Lucius heard light footsteps on the stairs, and looked over the top of his paper, expecting to see Cho appear in the doorway. Instead, in walked Hermione Granger, wearing a very glamorous evening dress, finished apart from the fact that the hem was pinned up. The two of them saw each other almost at the same time, and it was hard to say who was the more taken aback. Lucius remained where he was, and it was only by the lifting of his elegant eyebrows and the flaring of his proud nostrils that his displeasure was revealed. Hermione was less practised at hiding her feelings, and took a step backwards, reddening and frowning in confusion. Lucius, one step ahead, decided to press home his advantage, and drawled, "Ah, Miss Granger. What a nice surprise. We must stop meeting like this."
Hermione replied stiffly, "Hello, Mr Malfoy. I didn't expect to see you here. I presume Cho doesn't know you're here? Otherwise I don't think she would have sent me up here." Interesting - she was surprised to see him, yes, but not surprised enough.
"I'm sure you're right, Miss Granger. I believe you usually are."
Hermione looked as if she were unsure what to do next. She went over to the bookshelves, and began looking them over as a kind of displacement activity. Lucius observed that she was wringing her hands together with nerves. From behind his paper, he watched her, intrigued in spite of his antipathy towards her. He had always thought Hermione Granger a rather plain Jane, but in that dress, she certainly looked different. She had a very good figure, with full breasts and a rounded behind. It was a shame she hadn't been taught to walk properly though, and she really needed to do something with her hair. Hermione turned, and caught him staring at her. Something in his expression made her flush.
Suddenly making up her mind, Hermione left the room in a rush, and hurried back downstairs. Lucius knew it would not be long before Cho came upstairs, and sure enough, a quarter of an hour later, she came into the room, her face a mixture of confusion, pleasure and relief. She came over to him, and said, "What a nice surprise, Lucius. Er - would you like a cup of tisane, or something stronger?"
Lucius leered at her. "I can think of better things to do than drink tea, my dear." He reached out his hand to take hers, and placing his feet on the floor, he pulled her on to his knee. Cho sat down, unresisting, as Lucius gently stroked her back with one hand, and stroked a finger along her jawline. He looked at her enquiringly. She seemed undecided. Lucius waited, watching, his hands continuing their soft touch. Cho Chang was very beautiful, but there were many beautiful women, some of whom were always ready to accommodate him at any time. If Cho were unwilling, he had no need to force himself on her, he would remove himself to a more welcoming pair of arms. Cho said to him, "Lucius, I'm glad you're here, but it's rather awkward at the moment. Alan is in the shop. He may come up any minute. Also, a customer might come in, and I have to be there, you know I do. And the first appointment this afternoon is your wife!" Large brown eyes looked at him pleadingly. "Can you come back after the shop has closed? I'd love to see you then."
Malfoy relented. She was keen enough, he could tell from the way she responded to his touch, and he respected her commitment to her business. Also, he noted with satisfaction that she had not asked him why he had not been in touch sooner. He would postpone his plans, and return later. It would be amusing to think of her longing for him while she measured his haughty wife. To show her what she had just missed, he kissed her deeply, and hugged her to him. When he disapparated, he knew he had left behind a young woman tingling with anticipation. Meanwhile, Malfoy planned to release his pent up lust with one of his favourites, his cousin Lucinda.