This is being cross-posted from Ao3. It was originally posted on 23 June 2020.

I always struggle to write Lucius so i hope I did this justice. It's not a happy story, and he's not painted in the best of light, but it is what it is. This story is based on a real relationship that I had a few years ago, and he fit the role the best. If you ever feel like you are in a toxic relationship, do what I did and get the HELL OUT! You deserve better and there is better out there. Trust me. I found my happiness, and you can too. If I hadn't ended things when i had, who knows what would have happened. Now, though, I am in the healthiest relationship I have ever been, and it is truly magical. Happy reading. Much love, xxDustNight88

Huge thank you to GaeilgeRua for allowing me to use her Grammarly! Any other mistakes are definitely my own..

Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling, Bloomsbury, and Warner Bros. No copyright infringement is intended.

Title: What Matters Most
Rated: Teen & Up
Pairing: Lucius Malfoy/Hermione Granger
Summary: Sometimes you have to do what is best for you and not worry how someone else will feel.

Prompt: #TropesAndFandom20 June 20th: Interrupted Declaration of Love
#HHBingo2020 I4: Malfoy Manor
#PopUpPrompt: Coffee. Disappointing. Quit. "I'm not bound to you. I'm not bound to anyone."

It started with a cup of coffee.

A simple cup of coffee and then it snowballed into something much more—a little conversation, a few floo calls, and finally a date between two seemingly different people. One would never think that they would be in the same room together, let alone dating. It just wasn't like either of them to step so far out of their comfort zone. And yet, that's what happened.

Lucius Malfoy offered to buy Hermione Granger a coffee one night when he stumbled upon her in Diagon Alley, and she'd accepted. That's how it all began, and in the beginning, the relationship had been enjoyable. It was everything they both desired and more. Both of them were getting what they wanted. Lucius had the luxury of a young, beautiful woman on his arm and Hermione was able to break out of her funk after having divorced Ron. What could go wrong?

Apparently, a lot.

Hermione stood in the middle of Lucius Malfoy's sitting room in Malfoy Manor, nearly in tears from the frustrating conversation they were having. Apparently, Lucius was infuriated that Hermione hadn't cancelled plans with her friend so that they could have the option of making plans together.

"I'm confused as to why this is so difficult for you to understand, Hermione," Lucius said in a sing-song voice. "The reason I am upset is clear as day."

"It's really not," Hermione said with a sigh. She ran a hand through her curls and added, "I thought you understood that I had plans with Ginny."

"You and I have been through a lot in the short time we have been together," Lucius continued, rising from where he sat in his chair. He stood across from Hermione and lifted his head in a superior kind of way. "Do you not feel the same as you did before? Is that why you chose not to come and see me that day?"

"In the beginning, I was so lonely, and you showed me that I didn't have to be. You showed me how to feel again, Lucius," Hermione muttered, shaking her head. "But now all I feel is hurt and confusion. I explained to you that I couldn't come to see you because of my plans, but you wanted me to drop everything. It makes no sense."

"Don't be ridiculous," Lucius said, waving off her comment. "I've never done anything to hurt you. And what is there to be confused about? If you wanted to see me, then you would make the time to see me. It's that simple."

The arrogant way he spoke made Hermione want to laugh, but she refrained. "I have made time to see you time and time again. I've gone out of my way numerous times to be with you, but I have other friends and a job. I can't drop things just because you suddenly decide we need to see one another. That's not how this works."

"You obviously don't care about what we have," Lucius snapped, raking a hand through his long, blond hair.

"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked in exasperation. "I haven't done anything to show you that I don't care about you."

"If that's the case, then you would have cancelled your plans on attending that insipid Quidditch game," Lucius all but snarled. "You would have come to see me instead. You would have known that I'd want to see you that day."

"Good Godric," she mumbled, pinching the bridge of her nose. She was so sick of this never-ending circle of conversation. "Ginny and I bought those tickets months ago, Lucius. I wasn't going to cancel on my best friend. Like I said, and you well know, you and I didn't even have plans for that day."

"We could have had plans had you not gone to that game," Lucius said as if that was what she should have done.

"The fact of the matter is that we did not have plans," Hermione said slowly, unsure what to say next. It seemed as though no matter what she said, Lucius continued to make this fight her fault. "You and I didn't have plans, and there's nothing to change that now."

They stood there at an impasse for a few minutes. Inside, Hermione's mind was reeling. This entire situation felt wrong. The way Lucius was treating her felt wrong. All the red flags were finally coming to light for her. Maybe she should have listened to Ginny from the start. Lucius was trying to control her every move, and she certainly wasn't going to allow that to happen.

Finally, Lucius broke the silence, moving forward as if to try and crowd her space. Hermione held her breath, wary of what was about to happen.

"Look, Hermione," Lucius said slowly, speaking to her as if she was a child. "What matters most is that I love-"

"No!" Hermione immediately interrupted, backing away from the man she thought she cared about after all these months. "No, Lucius. Don't you dare say those three words to me now after treating me this way."

"Treating you what way?" Lucius asked almost in a condescending manner. "You and I are bound together by love."

"I'm not bound to you," Hermione said, raising her voice in both anger and a slight bit of fear. She was thoroughly angry now, her heart beating furiously within her chest. Taking a purposeful step backwards, away from Lucius, she made her final decision to end things. With a deadly calm voice, she said, "I'm not bound to anyone."

"What are you saying?" Lucius asked, his ordinarily noble face contorted with his own anger.

"That I'm done. I quit whatever this relationship has become." She emphasized her point by slashing her hand through the empty space between them. "And it's just so disappointing because I really liked you, Lucius. I truly did. We used to have so much fun, but your incessant control issues of when we see each other and what I do when I'm not with you has become too much for me. So, I'm sorry, but I can't do this anymore. Goodbye."

Then, without another word, Hermione turned and entered the fireplace. After activating the floo, she returned to her quiet flat and then blocked Lucius from being able to follow after her. Not that she suspected he would, really. He was a stubborn man and entirely unwilling to see the situation from her point of view. Sighing heavily, Hermione held her head high and decided that it didn't matter. She was always going to be the most important person in her life, and that was what mattered most.