She was about to apologize to whomever she had run into when she heard a voice do just that.
She had her eyes closed and couldn't help but feel comfortable in the arms that held her steady. "No, it was my fault, I wasn't looking where I was going."
"Well," the voice laughed, "If you were walking around with your eyes shut, I suppose it just might be your fault. Can't say that I'm complaining, though. It isn't everyday that a beautiful woman walks right into your arms.
She blushed and stepped back and all but screamed when she saw who she had walked into. "You!" was all she could say.
He raised an eyebrow at her. "I'm not sure who else I would be."
"You ruined my morning!" she accused.
He cocked his head in confusion. "I'm not really sure how I managed that, I apologize if I inadvertently caused you any discomfort…"
She huffed and shook her head. "No, I suppose it wasn't really your fault. I'm just…"
"You're just what?" he asked with genuine interest.
She studied him a moment. "You really aren't the bloke I went to school with, are you?"
He smiled and looked at his shoes a moment. Looking back up, he shrugged. "I don't know. I seem to recall seeing you around, and I still think you're beautiful." When he saw the look on her face he quickly looked for anything else to say, realizing what he had just voiced. "Other than that, though, I suppose I get your point. Life has a way of changing a 'bloke' you know? I mean, once my father died, well, I didn't have anyone shoving purist dogma down my throat and I realized it was better business to be tolerant, better for your health too," he chuckled.
The look on her face hadn't changed. "What do you mean you still think I'm beautiful?"
He looked distinctly uncomfortable. "Um, how did I ruin your morning?" He tried to change the subject.
"Everywhere I went stupid girls were squealing about you and how hot you are. It made it impossible to relax. What did you mean?" she persisted in her questioning.
He scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah, I'm a bit of a phenomenon ever since I became the most eligible bachelor. Sorry about that." He winced when she opened her mouth and held up a hand. "And…well, when we were in school, I guess…no…I…well, I always thought you were the prettiest girl in school and thought it was a shame that you were stuck up in that tower. Not that you were stuck up, I mean…"
She shook her head with a mystified smile, "I know what you meant." She couldn't believe it. The ever confident Malfoy was acting like tongue-tied schoolboy. She had to admit, he was one sexy tongue-tied schoolboy.
"So…I hear you're the editor of the Prophet now," he said a bit awkwardly.
She smiled warmly. "Yes, I have been for almost six years." He raised his eyebrows in respect. She shrugged. "I was the youngest editor they ever had."
"Impressive!" They resumed walking, this time side by side.
"So is the empire you've built out of the ruins of your father's holdings," she said with honest respect. He really was different. He was a gentleman now. His eyes were warm and deep, not cold and masked.
They walked for two hours, talking about life, changes, and everything. He walked her back to her room. "Now, tomorrow you will accept that private room and get that massage. I don't want to be held responsible when you go back and that Jason fellow finds you just as tense as you left." His tone was serious and he tried to look at her sternly, but his eyes were dancing with amusement. "However," he continued, "I would be honoured if you would agree to meet me for lunch tomorrow." The school-boy look was back and she would have sworn he was nervous. He would have declared it adamantly.
She smiled. "I'd like that."
He grinned from ear to ear and she once again marveled at the changes in the man before her from the boy she had known.