She felt as if she were on exile, walking the long path to the executioner, but she was merely walking through the ministry towards her office. Brown eyes scanned left and right, step after agonising step under the heavy gaze of every person she passed weighed heavily and she felt as if a metal band was wrapped around her chest and tightening with every breath she exhaled.

Hushed whispers erupted as she walked by, people congregated in groups staring her down and she didn't know if it was out of pity for her and what had happened or if they just wanted to whisper and spread further rumours around the ministry. It was no secret many people hated the fact they had a female Minister; the first in history. This stigma that was now surrounding her was unfathomable. If she were a male, not one person would have cared as she walked through the Ministry, but because she was female, it was a whole new ballgame and she hated that even nowadays women were treated differently to men. Equal opportunity my ass, she thought bitterly to herself as she clenched her hands into tight fists, nails digging into the soft palms of her hands.

The article she had released to the paper had been sent out early that morning and she wondered if she could get the floor to swallow her up and take her away to another dimension where she could pretend to be someone else and her life wasn't this spectacular shitshow that is was currently. Add that into the mix with the Weasleys catching Lucius Malfoy balls deep in her and going hard at it, you could say her life had just about hit the lowest point it ever had since the first breath she ever drew. Now she was alone, had no family and he only friend in the world was Susan. Lucius Malfoy only barely tolerated her because he wanted something from her and that was it.

The article had fully and wholly outlined the breakdown of her marriage, the lies and deceit of Ronald Weasley and then the fact he was now expecting a child from another woman. Of course, people would try to turn it back around onto her, the Weasleys already did, of course, they did, they were perfect at victim-blaming and their Ron could do no wrong in their eyes. Of course, it was all her fault. Every. Last. Problem.

She needed to get to her office where she could shut herself away for the day and sneak out after everyone had gone home for the night so she wouldn't be subject to even more hushed whispering and stares but every step she took, she could feel every set of eyes pressing painfully into the back of her as she walked by and she hated it. She needed to take the lift, but she knew it would be easy to be interrogated in there by anyone who may step in beside her and she really did not feel like explaining her life story right now. She wished she had asked Titus to meet her at the entrance because no one was game to talk to her when he flanked her side.

Instead, she took a left at the elevator and a right and another left and stopped abruptly looking left and right to ensure no one was around, she slid a false panel of the wall out of the way and stepped through into a dark and narrow tunnel that she had been alerted to when she became the Minister and shut abruptly behind herself. An escape route of sorts should things go awry. It led to another false panel down a darkened hallway she could remove near her office and she could slink in without another person ever seeing her.

She pulled her wand from her pocket and lit the tip. The tunnel otherwise inky black, cold and sterile; void of any life. Her footsteps bounced off the cement walls along with the blueish light from her wand playing lazily on the dull, grey cement. She figured if she walked as slow as she could it would extend the time until she had to deal with whatever today's issues would be thrust upon her desk as well as her entire life caving in around her. For what it was worth at least she was regularly getting laid of late and that was better than what she was getting from Ron, the once a week wonder, and that was if he was feeling up to it…Of course, now she knew why and that because he was too busy fornicating with the homewrecker to bother with her.

She stopped and leaned against the cold wall, hard wall and just stood there contemplating life for a moment. The whole Ron thing mixed with being the Minister and add Lucius Malfoy to the mix was almost impossible for her to bear and she wondered if she could just resign from being Minister effective immediately. She knew sure as hell she would not care if she threw it all in now and walked away. She had spent years working her way up to this position, clawing her way up the ladder to get to where she needed to get, stepping on toes and generally being a tyrant because she wanted the position more than anything and now she had it, she didn't care for it because every moment of her life was under the microscope. Every time she breathed the wrong way it would be reported on. Now, well, now she knew article after article would be produced about her life and where her marriage failed and just wait until she fell pregnant to Lucius. That is when the bloodsucking parasites of reporters would leech on and drag her down for a story. She could see the headlines now and how they would turn this whole story around and make Ron out to be like a saint and her Lucifer in disguise. They would take the angle she was sinking her claws into Lucius and bearing his child so she could claim his fortune and she was little more than a gold digger who wanted a stake to the Malfoy fortune.

She sighed loudly, tilting her head back so it rested against the wall. She could not stand this. Her heart was pounding, and her head was spinning from the stress of it all.

Footsteps coming in from the opposite end of the tunnel roused her suspicions. Her head instantly snapping to the direction of the sound. They sounded heavy, obviously a male and she frozen on the spot. No one was meant to know about this tunnel except her, Susan, and Titus, but these footsteps were softer than Titus but heavier than Susan's. Fuck. If she was killed in here her body would probably never be found because no one would even think to look in here. Oh well, at least her suffering would come to an end.

She held her wand up and saw the figure slowly swaggering down the tunnel towards her, if they were here to kill her they weren't trying to hide the fact they were here and about to execute her. Actually, right now, she would honestly welcome that.

"Put the wand down, Witch. I'm not going to hurt you," Lucius's voice echoed down the walls of the long tunnel and she visibly relaxed., dropping her wand slightly by her side.

"How did you know I was down here?" She asked, curious. Her own voice echoing off the cold, sterile walls.

"Well. I was hanging around your office waiting to see what shitshow would be unfolding this morning because I needed a little entrainment in my life when someone said they saw you but you hadn't yet made it to the office and I thought to myself where would someone hide who didn't want to be found in a hurry and found you in the exact place I knew you would be."

"Wow. We have a detective over here," She bit dryly. "And you know about the tunnel how?" She snapped.

"Believe it or not I've used this tunnel a few times myself. When you brush shoulders with some of the people I have you find out about things like this. I knew you would be heading down here. I knew you wouldn't take the lift because you couldn't handle everyone focusing their attention solely on you and talking about you in hushed whispers." He stopped and leant next to her. His arm brushed gently against her own and stayed there and she was thankful for the touch of another human who wasn't judging her right now. A pompous arse, yes. Judging, no.

"Just so you are aware. You have two reporters, an Auror and Weasley's little harlot hanging around your office waiting for you and I think she may want to claw your eyes out. Susan is beside herself because she cannot find you and everyone is demanding to see you right now. I almost think she is on the verge of throwing herself out of the window," His tone low and casual as if he were talking about the weather outside or what he may be having for lunch. Almost as if it were normal for him to see someone jump out of the window.

She paled considerably in the cool light of the wand and closed her eyes. She was not going out there now. She never gave one thought to how this would affect Ron's new partner and their child, and she didn't really give a fucking shit. They both should have thought about that before they went sneaking around behind her back and fornicating like horny rabbits in the springtime.

"Well. If that is the case, I am not leaving this tunnel until at least lunchtime when hopefully the novelty has worn off for most people," she harrumphed loudly.

"So you're just going to stand here in the tunnel for the next few hours?" Lucius inquired, perplexed.

"No. Watch and learn." She slowly began to run the palm of her hand against the cold, cement wall as if looking for something that he could not see in the dim light of her wand. Stopping when she found the seam in the wall, the indicator for what she needed she pressed her wand to the wall and watched as the heavy cement slab slowly slid to the left revealing a wooden door that she pushed open. Walking in, torches lining the walls ignited and illuminated the room.

Lucius followed her and shut the door gently behind them, aghast that there was a panic room that he had no idea about. How was he not told about this prior?

"I didn't know this was here." He looked taken aback as she strode across the room.

"You couldn't have brushed too many high-profile shoulders then," she bit, shooting him a bemused glance. "Basically, if anything were to happen in the world you would want to be in here. It is impenetrable to warfare, natural disasters and magic, built solely for the purpose of protecting the current minister should they be in the ministry when something goes awry with enough supplies to get at least four people through a month without having to leave. You can do magic in here, but magic directed to the door should it be discovered will do nothing. Apparating is not possible in here either," She said matter of factly, walking across the room to the large, plush black couch that was arranged in an 'L' shape, pushed up against the wall that was clad in the same burgundy wallpaper as her office. Kicking off her heels, she flopped down on it with zero grace and elegance that a woman should probably possess.

A large black rug set in the middle of the room over the top of a neutral beige carpet. Three doors set opposite that led to the bathroom, a small kitchen and a supply store that had everything needed to get by.

"Well, if we are ever under attack I will be sure to seek refuge in here with you." He sat down gently beside her his mind swimming with a million questions he wanted to ask her. For the first time ever, he had her alone with no strings attached at all and he wanted to get to know the woman that was going to potentially be the mother to his child who would, in turn, end up an heir to the Malfoy fortune.

He couldn't help but notice the defeat in her eyes as she sat cross-armed staring at the wall as if she wanted it to open and suck her in never to be seen again. He couldn't help but feel some empathy for the woman who he had been spending more time with than anyone else of late. Getting to know here on an intimate level more so than anyone else.

Gently, he rested a large hand on her bare, pale knee and squeezed it tight in a show of solidarity and compassion. She looked down, then up at him and smiled meekly before sighing heavily as if the weight of the whole world was placed solely on her shoulders.

"Look. I know we aren't exactly best friends and I know we probably don't see eye to eye, but I am here if you want to talk, Hermione. I know your life isn't going to plan right now and I know it has upset you greatly, but you aren't alone." Sliding a comforting arm around her shoulders she froze at the innocent gesture and then relaxed against him. Right now, apart from Susan, he was the closest thing she had to a friend and that was pretty dismal if she did say so herself.

The two sat shrouded in silence. The only sound that could be heard was the soft breathes they took. Hermione wondered what wrong turn she had taken, what fork in the road she took the wrong path for her life to end up like this.

Eventually, she spoke. "Every morning I get up, I put on these stupid heels that I can barely walk in mind you, I put on this ridiculous skirt and I trot through the halls of the ministry. I listen to people's problems, I try to fix things, I try to help, and I am always looked down upon because I am a woman. I am never taken seriously in this position and some days I second guess and doubt myself that I should even be here. Not a day goes by that I don't want to throw this stupid position in and pass it off to someone else so they can be harshly scrutinised under a microscope and have their every last movement condemned. I would love to never have to listen to another gripe or sign off on another law or peruse another flipping budget." She groaned loudly in frustration and anger.

She relaxed more against his chest, the rise and fall almost rhythmic to her with every breath he took and she felt at ease, her stress slowly washing away almost being dragged out like a wave on a shore.

"Since I took on this position my life has been nothing but a spectacular shit show and I hate it. My husband has left me, I've lost friends over all of this. I don't even know if I can have children now and I am sitting here relaying every one of my life's issues to a man who once wanted my lights snuffed out never to take another breath. Not only that I somehow agreed to try to bear a child with him to become the heir to his ridiculously vast fortune, despite materialism being high up there in my list of pet hates. If someone had once told me this is where my life was heading, I never would have believed it. But here we are." She snorted derisively.

"To be fair. I didn't think I would be sleeping with the Minister for magic who was also the girl I once wanted to see dead, so I am just as shocked as you are on that one. I also didn't expect to be caught mid-shag in your kitchen by your husband's parents but there is a first time for everything I suppose." A small smirk played on his lips. Gently, he brushed a curl from her face and tucked it behind her ear tenderly.

"I almost think you enjoyed that part last night," She said dryly, closing her eyes at the gentle swipe of his fingers across her cheek.

"Quite. Actually." He tried to hide the smirk that slowly spread across his face.

She smiled evilly looking up at him, a glimmer of lust dancing in her eyes. "We never did get to finish what we started last night."

"Are you suggesting what I think you are suggesting, Miss Granger?" He asked with mock shock laced into his tone.

"Well. I just so happened to have a few hours cleared in my schedule for the day, so I am wide open in more ways than one if you are up to it."

She only had to ask him once. Or not at all. Whatever. Gently pushing her back on the couch he moved to straddle her resting all of his weight on his knees and hands. This felt different. Organic. Not at all forced like it almost had been previously because they had a tight schedule and an end goal in mind. This time, this time with no restrictions it was a whole different ballgame and he didn't mind.

He loved how exposed and vulnerable she looked from beneath him, he doe eyes full of lust and hunger waiting for him to make the first move. A primal instinct began to raise its head and come out of a deep slumber and he felt his cock pressing hard against his trousers already and could only groan in response. Fuck. What was she brining out of him?

Pressing his lips with passion and hunger to her own her eyes widened in shock and want at the ferocity in which he was coming at her. She liked this. She had always wanted the raw, unbridled passion he was showing her, but she had never, ever received it until now. Ron was a meek, straight to the point and rarely deviated from the usual script he followed.

Slowly he tangled his long fingers around her thin wrists and forced her hands high above her head, pinning her to the spot forcefully as he pressed his lips even harder to her own and she groaned against them in bliss and need.

He broke the kiss breathlessly as she now writhed beneath him in want. "Just go with the flow, witch," he whispered in her ear, his hot breath crossing the shell of her ear followed by a nip to her earlobe. She let out a soft, shuddery breath in response, closing her eyes as she relished in the moment.

Wrangling her wrists in one hand he took the other, cupping her chin forcing her head back to expose her white, pale neck and he licked his lips hungrily. Needily. Running his tongue from her earlobe to collarbone he could feel her writing beneath him, and he only grinned wickedly in response. Following the path his tongue just took he pressed his lips against her ear again. "Be a good girl won't you, Hermione," he whispered deep and sharply into her ear.

Her only response to that was a deep exhale through her now and he took that as yes, she would be fully compliant with whatever he wanted.

Kissing his way down her neck he paused nipping and nibbling just above her clavicle and then sunk his teeth into the unblemished flesh, licking and sucking while listening to her breathing becoming more laboured and heavier as she fought the urge to push him off and tell him to stop.

Pulling back, he admired the work he had created on her once-perfect flesh, now marred with his mark. The purple and red bruise on her neck was in the most obvious spot he could have ever have placed it.

"Everyone will see that you know," She protested heavily trying to wriggle from his one-handed grip but it was futile because even one-handed he was much stronger than she was.

"You can put a glamour on it, witch," he bit with a raise of an eyebrow. Letting her arms go, he slowly unbuttoned the white blouse she was wearing exposing her milky white breasts peeking out of the top of her white bra and began fumbling, pushing the shirt off of her shoulders and pulling it roughly down her arms dropping it on the floor to be long forgotten.

Her chest heaving with anticipation, her breasts moving in rhythm and he cupped them both, squeezing gently through their cloth prison she moaned in delight at the soft touch. Something was different this time. Almost as if a paradigm had shifted and she was enjoying this. Enjoying his hands all over her body. She was enjoying the whole ordeal right and she had zero guilt for hiding away in here for the day. She wished she had have done this sooner. Even if she didn't fall pregnant after all of this, at least the sexually deprived woman inside of her was slowly starting to awaken after laying long-dormant and would be well sated from here on in.

"You really won't be needing this," he murmured softly. Leaning forward and forcing one hand beneath her he expertly unclasped her bra and pulled it off, throwing it somewhere into the abyss across the room without even a second thought. He couldn't help but feel powerful as he made all the moves pressing her beneath himself leaving her with no control, something he knew she hated. She loved to control every single aspect of her life and this would be irking her beyond measure.

Gently cupping her breasts again thumbs raked gently over nipples and he noticed how she sucked in a breath and arched her back at the small gesture, eyes closing half-mast relishing in the touch he leaned forward and kissed her with passion and want once again. Pushing his tongue deep in her mouth she bucked her hips up into him and clawed feverishly at his back littering his flesh with half-crescent impressions now marring his back, but he didn't mind about that. The pain almost an aphrodisiac to him.

He broke the kiss again, pushing himself to his feet and kicked his shoes off followed by his trousers, underwear and then the white collared shirt he had opted to wear that day to the ministry.

Hermione propped herself up on her elbow and watched him undress, gnawing on her bottom lip hard; absentmindedly. He was alright for a man of his age. Well-toned and just a hint of muscle rippling beneath his flesh as he moved. She flushed pink when she saw his hard cock and looked away coyly which only amused him.

"It's not like you haven't seen it before, Witch," He growled low in his throat kneeling at the end of the couch, and seizing her by the waist, sliding fingers into the waistband of her skirt and panties and pulled them off without even a second thought. She half laughed and screamed at the force in which he did so.

"I know that. It's was right there in my face and larger than life."

"It's large, I agree." He smirked smartly raising a brow high into his blonde hairline.

"Is it a man thing to exaggerate about the size of things?" She asked airily; breathless.

"I tell nothing but the truth, woman. No exaggeration needed here."

"Well, for what it's worth it's alright for someone of your vintage."

"My vintage?" He asked. Almost offended. "I will have you know I could outwit, outlast and out fuck anyone half my age witch and you know it. I am well-schooled in subtle lovemaking and female orgasms.

"Do I really know, though?" Mock innocence laced her tone heavily, chocolate eyes swimming with desire as she bit her lip once more and he almost had to stop himself from jumping on her and fucking her stupid right now if she didn't wipe that sultry look of her face in the next five seconds, she was in trouble.

"You should know by now," he said matter of factly. Fingers tracing feather-light up the length of her legs and back down to her knee's again and sat idly while he waited to see where this conversation went. If she kept increasing the sexual tension that already hung so thick in the air, she would be well and truly in trouble today.

"I don't think I do, Mister Malfoy… Maybe you can show me?" She nibbled the corner of her bottom lip once again innocently and battered her eyelashes.

That was it. She just sealed her own fate.

Grabbing her roughly around her hips again he flipped her lithe frame over with ease, so she was now on her stomach. Tangling long, pale fingers through soft auburn hair he pulled her head back and pressed lips to the shell of her ear. "On your knees," he ordered roughly. She obliged.

One foot on the ground and the other knee bent on the couch, hand still tangled in hair he guided his throbbing cock into her hot, slick centre and he had to bite his tongue and stop himself from moaning in delight. He loved how tight her velvet walls felt around his throbbing cock and he wanted to be consumed wholly and fully by her right now. She felt perfect, better than anyone he had ever been inside before and that even included his wife. It was almost as if she were made for him, his perfect fit. She the puzzle piece to the hole he had felt inside of himself now starting to fill. He almost felt complete. Wait. What? She shook his head. No. He was being stupid.

Hand now on her hip he thrust himself hard against her with force scooting her a few inches across the couch with each movement. She buried her head in the cushion to muffle her small moans of pleasure as he did so, and she couldn't believe this was happening right now. When she got out of bed this morning, she never thought she would be having the best sex of her life with Lucius Malfoy when she was meant to be working.

"Do you like that, Witch?" He muttered in between thrusts only to be met with a whimper of approval and a soft groan and not much more.

He pulled himself out of her and flipped her onto her back and pulled her down as far as he could towards her, lifting her leg over his shoulder he guided himself back into her tight, wet hole and kept thrusting hard bringing himself closer to the edge of his release. Pressing a kiss hard to her lips she clawed at his back again needily pulling him closer as she crept closer to her own release.

"Your turn, witch," he forced out, breathless. Sliding his arms behind her back he lifted her up with ease and she clung to him. He sat back on the couch, her now astride him. Panic set in her eyes and she stiffened against him, unmoving. She had never been in control before sexually and that scared her a lot. She literally had no idea what to do. This experience was really opening her eyes just to how sexually deprived she had been in her life.

"How deprived has your sex life actually been?" He asked seriously. Blonde hair cascading down his shoulders loosely. His white skin flushing a crimson colour and his chest heaved heavier than before.

"I mean I've had sex…" she trailed off. Heat creeping back into her cheeks as she spoke realising just how much she had missed out on in her life.

"It seems he has a lot to answer for. Imagine not being able to sexually satisfy your wife adequately. Just go slow, witch. It all comes naturally," he coaxed gently grabbing her hips softly and guiding her in the motion she needed to be executing until she took over on her own accord. Burying her head hard in his shoulder she fell into the rhythm of what she was doing.

Caught in the heat of the moment she bit his shoulder hard, sinking her teeth in into the white flesh painfully increasing the pressure with every moment she brought herself to tipping over the edge into euphoria and beyond.

Fingers tangling in her hair again he threw his head back hard as he came deep inside of her. Finally, the release he had been denied the night before and boy was it worth it. He assumed by the fact her teeth were no longer mutilating his shoulder that she had tipped herself over the edge also. The bite mark on his shoulder searing with pain and he knew it would be bleeding.

She rested her head on his shoulder. His arms wrapped around her holding her tight both listening to the content breathing of the other as they just held one another. Neither spoken as time ticked past, both relishing in the gentle touch and the company of the other as if they had been denied just basic human contact like this.

Eventually. She broke the silence. "Do you still want to come over tonight?" She murmured against his chest, her lips feather-light on his skin. She mentally scolded herself. Why was she asking him that? It sounded needy and desperate. But the truth of the matter, perhaps she really was needy and desperate for the touch and company of another human being in her life.

"Tough one. Do I want to sit at home alone or be ridden like one of the Queen's Horses at Royal Ascot?" He asked in a curious upward inflection.

She snorted the most undignified sound she had ever heard come from her own body. "I'll take that as a yes then. I will open a Floo connection between my place and yours. The last thing I need is reporters snooping around and seeing you coming and leaving every night of the week."

She clambered off him and began to hunt around the room for her long-discarded clothes. "I suppose I better get to Susan before she has a heart attack that she cannot find me. And for what it was worth, this was the best working day of my life."

"Oh, course it was." He waved a hand dismissively. "You got to shag me."

A/N: Wow. This chapter was not meant to be over 5000 words. Although I am sure none of you will complain about the length. Thank you to everyone who has read/fave/reviewed this story. This chapter took me a week to write because I kept deleting parts and adding more and then I thought maybe it was too early for them to be liking one another's company but it just felt organic so I ran with it.

-Aliasmel1