A/N: I don't own Harry Potter or any related characters

Word Count: 2141

Warning: sexual themes

"You're nothing more than evil," Hermione spat at the man before her. Lucius only smiled.

"You may think that, Miss Granger, but there reasons behind everything I did, not that you'd understand any of them," he replied, glancing around the small square room. Lucius was seated in a chair, cuffs holding him to it. Hermione was seated across from him. This was all part of the Death Eater rehabilitation act that the ministry had just passed. Death Eaters were slowly being released from Azkaban back into the wizarding world. Each one was assigned a ministry worker to see if they had in fact changed. Lucius had drawn the short straw and ended up as Miss Hermione Granger as his liaison. He couldn't help but admire the fire in her eyes, her dedication to making sure he stayed in Azkaban.

"Try me," she said, leaning forward on her elbows. Lucius smiled.

"The world I grew up in was very different from yours, Miss Granger. It was a world where status and names mattered. It was a world where you did what you were told if you wanted to succeed."

"In other words, you're saying you're just a good little puppet?" she asked, rolling her brown eyes.

"No, not any more. That was the world I grew up in, the rules I learned, yes. You must understand something about Lord Voldemort, Miss Granger. He is, was, very charismatic. He smiled at you and made you feel like you meant something to him. He handpicked his followers and people were dying to be his chosen. The fact he made a person feel like they were someone, that they were special. That was what made him so dangerous, Miss Granger."

"And you expect me to believe that?" she asked. "You were swayed by his power and aren't just a bigot who likes hurting people?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. Lucius shook his head.

"I'm not proud of what I did or many of the things I said. I'm not proud of the way I raised my son, no, I made some mistakes. I admit to that."

"At least you admit to something," Hermione snapped, picking up a folder full of parchment. "These are all the people you've killed, people you've tortured, you really think I'm going to buy your little penance for a moment?"

"I don't expect you to, Miss Granger," Lucius stated, watching Hermione. She'd grown into a lovely woman, the kind of woman Narcissa had once been before she'd been murdered in the war, the kind of woman a man of his power found attractive. She challenged him, she didn't put up with him. He loved the idea of her ordering him to his knees, for him to do her bidding.

"Good, because I'm not signing this," she stated, gesturing to the sheet of parchment before her. "I'm not signing your release, Mister Malfoy because you don't deserve it. You're nothing more than an evil man trying to worm his way into my thoughts and play with my emotions."

"Is it working then, Miss Granger?" he asked, a smirk playing on his face. Hermione glared at him, trembling with what he guessed was both hatred and arousal. He could sense it in her, the way she kept looking him, the way she'd quickly look back down at the papers in front of her.

"You like having power over me, don't you?" he asked, wanting nothing more than to tilt her face upward and make her look him the eyes.

"I like living in a world where I and my friends feel safe," she retorted, slamming the file closed. Lucius only smiled as she rapped on the wall to signal this interview was over. That was fine with him. He knew she'd be back, no one could resist him for long.

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Hermione pulled her jacket tighter around herself. Being forced to sit in a room with Lucius Malfoy had not been how she'd planned to spend her day. He hadn't changed. She was sure of that! No, he was just playing games with her.

"They're not going to work," she muttered to herself, pretending she wasn't imagining his long fingers against her flesh, pretending she wasn't thinking about him handcuffed to her bed. She shook her head, as if that would make those thoughts disappear. It only made her head hurt.

"He's a Death Eater," she reminded herself as she headed home. "And a bigot and he's a jerk and he nearly got Ginny killed," she added, still thinking about his smile.

She let herself into her flat, petted Crookshanks who was currently wrapping around her feet.

"See, I'm back in one piece," she told the cat. Crookshanks simply meowed loudly before heading off to claw up the sofa again. Hermione dropped her bag and headed towards the kitchen intent on making tea.

"See, this is what I have to deal with, Crooks, evil men who want me to believe they've changed," she muttered, setting the kettle on. "It's not like he's changed, honestly. I mean, he's been in Azkaban for five years... would that change someone?" she mused, thinking about how horrid that place really was. It was better now that the dementors had vanished. Still... it was dark, dank, dreary, and she still heard horror stories from time to time. She tried to image Lucius there, in his little cell. That thought didn't cheer her like she thought it would. It actually brought a frown to her face.

"No, he deserves it," she reminded herself, pouring a cup of tea. She drank it quickly, barely glancing at the tea leaves before washing them away. She knew what her future held. Eventually she would give into Ron's instance they belonged together. Eventually she would get a promotion, maybe start a family. She wondered why those thoughts didn't make her happy. She sighed. Lucius had really gotten under her skin today, that was all.

That night she dreamed of him. She dreamed of him kneeling before her, dreamed of him actually repenting for what he'd done. She dreamed of forcing him to his feet, their lips meeting something beyond passion. Hermione woke up drenched in sweat and extremely turned on. She bit her lip and sighed.

"Now he's in my dreams too?" she muttered, trying to forget about how it had felt to have him at her command. She wasn't that kind of person, was she? Hermione gave up going back to sleep, showered and looked over the plans for her day. She had a whole three hour block of free time in the afternoon. In a moment of weakness, she sent an owl to Azkaban asking for another meeting with Lucius.

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He was waiting for her, already cuffed safely to the chair. She took her seat across from him.

"Two days in a row, Miss Granger?"

"Shut it, Mister Malfoy," she grumbled. "I don't even know why I'm here, maybe if I can find something about you to continue hating, I can put you out of my mind once and for all. I have your prison file here, just so you know."

"I'm sure it's fascinating reading, Miss Granger. Do read about all the times I murdered someone from my cell," he laughed. Hermione glared at him, but this time, he could tell it was little more than an act. She'd read the file. He already knew what was in there, what she kept trying to deny.

"It says you saved another inmate after a fight."

"Let me guess, what was my motive for that? Did I start the fight? Do I enjoy seeing people in pain?" Lucius asked, leaning slightly forward.

"Well?"

"My motive was I didn't want him to die. I didn't start the fight, I did finish it, and as for seeing people in pain, it can be enjoyable, not nearly as enjoyable as being the one in pain," he whispered, watching Hermione's eyes widen. He smirked, nearly snorting at her response.

"You like pain, Mister Malfoy?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "You like being ordered around, being told what to do?"

"By the right person," he answered, wondering if she would ever let him out, would ever command him. He doubted it. He doubted she would ever admit her own feelings, if she admitted them, would she see herself as monster, same as she saw him?

"Mister Malfoy, there are several instances where you did in Azkaban that would be considered good acts. Were all of these done with just the intention of leaving the prison?"

"No, some were done because I wanted to do them, Miss Granger," he answered. He watched Hermione lean back in her chair, an exasperated look on her face. He liked this game. He liked how she seemed to be torn between wanting to murder him and wanting to shag him like an animal. He could see the desire in her eyes, could feel the heat coming from her, although he knew she would deny it.

"Why am I even here? You don't mean any of this! Everything is a game to you, I can see it in your eyes. You're just toying with me, hoping to get a rise out of me, hoping to get to sign the papers."

"Perhaps, Miss Granger. Is it working?" he asked, flashing her a roguish smile. She glared.

"I ask the questions, Mister Malfoy."

"Then ask me what I truly want, Miss Granger? Ask me is I want you to order me around, ask me if I want you as much as you're pretending you don't want me. Sign those papers and I'll owe you, I'll be at your command," he stated. Hermione stared at him. Had he just admitted he wanted her? She glanced down at the table quickly, her face flushing painfully hot. Was it really that obvious how she felt?

"If I'm yours, you can keep an eye on me, make sure I don't dare slip back into my old bad habits," he hissed, watching her. Slowly she raised her head, her eyes sparkling with fire. She laughed.

"You almost had me for a moment, Mister Malfoy, thinking you'd changed. You're just trying to influence me, trying to get under my skin. It's not going to work, not here, not in my dreams," she snapped. Lucius smiled.

"So, now you're dreaming about me, Miss Granger?" he asked. She growled, nearly reaching across the table to grab him.

"Listen here, you bloody idiot! You're nothing more than a criminal, a nasty man who followed an even worse one. You're a murderer, you tortured people, you did unexcusable acts to people, why would I ever want to be with a man like you?"

"Because you like a challenge, you like the idea of taking someone as horrible as you see me and forcing me to be what you want me to be. I'm not the man you keep making me out to be, Miss Granger. I had a family, I did so much to protect them," he whispered. Hermione stared at him, thinking about Draco, thinking about how Narcissa ended up betraying Lord Voldemort in the final battle. Slowly she summoned a quill. Lucius watched her, holding his breath.

"You would be required to have someone keeping an eye on you, Mister Malfoy. As a condition of your release. You wouldn't be allowed to see your former associates."
"I know that, Miss Granger."

"You'd be under house arrest for six months," she added, watching him. He nodded.

"The manor has hundreds of rooms, if you'd like to move into one to make sure I never take another step down that path," he offered, thinking about the cells in the basement, the cells were Hermione could handcuff him to the wall. He could see her thinking the same thing.

"That might be for the best, although, it could be seen as a conflict of interest," she mused. "That would make the ministry challenge my decision to have you released," she added. Lucius nodded, watching her. She drew a long breath, letting it out slowly. She nodded her head before stashing the quill away.

"Miss Granger?"

"This case is becoming a conflict of interest, Mister Malfoy. I'm going to ask someone else to sign off on your release," she said, rising to her feet. She walked towards the door before turning. "And Lucius, I will taking that offer to move into the manor. I expect my coworker will have your paperwork signed by the end of the day. I'll be here to escort you home at that time," she promised, slipping from the room. Lucius watched her leave a smile crossing his face at the idea of returning to his own home with a witch who might finally be able to handle him.