Shoutouts to:

lilacwaffles: Yeay! So happy you liked it! Thanks for the review! This one is for you! ;)

MissesE: Aww, you made this writer shed to tears! Thank you so much for the huge compliment! I've had a hard time in creating the character Claire. As such, to hear a positive remarks about her character is always a good thing ;) haha and yes nothing can stop Lucius now. This is for you! Enjoy! ;D

Chapter 13: Date

WHEN Lucius had shown up at her front door; holding a red rose and asking her to spend the entire day with him. In other word, a date with him.

Claire had to blink her eyes several times. Surely she'd heard it wrong? Did Lucius Malfoy just asked her out for a date?

"You're kidding me."

"I kid you not, Miss Claire." Lucius took another step forward to her. "Now then, we can either stand here and continue to stare at each other's eyes or you could let me in and wait for you while you go on and get ready? I'd prefer to choose the former, to be honest. I've always like to look inside the depth of your eyes."

Claire backed away and stepped aside for him to enter.

Lucius smirked in satisfactionately. Teasing her, seeing how she blushed so easily around him now had become something he absolutely enjoyed and cherished.

Now that he had gotten Draco's more-or-less blessing for him to court her, nothing and nobody could get in Lucius' way.

As Lucius entered the sitting room, he noticed how little things changed since the last he'd been here.

"Make yourself at home. Well techically, this is still your home since you're still paying the rent. Your room is left untouched by the way. I'd locked it." She handed him a copy of his room key.

"Thank you. Though, I don't mind if you enter it. I have nothing to hide." Claire looked at him, with a rising eyebrow at his comment.

Lucius smirked grew. He decided to be a tease. "I certainly do not mind at all if you wish to sleep on my bed sometimes. Perhaps I will join you, that is, if given a chance."

No, Claire told herself. She would not react to his words. She would be in charged of her own emotions and not let it be the boss of her. But dammit, his voice was so damn sultry when he said those words that she couldn't help but to turn all red from her neck to her whole face!

Not saying another words, Claire stormed off to her room and locked it before she headed for a shower.

Lucius chuckled. His little minx was blushing, again. While waiting for his little minx to get ready, Lucius decided to look around the sitting room. While he had stayed at the apartment, Lucius never truly took a good look at the surroundings.

To Lucius' great surprise, the first thing that caught his eyes was that the fireplace had been connected with the floo network. He saw a flowerpot near the fireplace filled with floo powder. Other than that, he also noticed the apartment was protected by an invisible magical barrier.

Severus.

He'd must have spoken with Kingsley about allowing the floo network to be connected to the Apartment so that it would be easier for any one of them to check on Claire. It made sense; while the little minx couldn't use the floo, they could at least checked upon her should they felt her life was being endangered.

He could check on her.

Lucius' eyes moved from the floo powder to the invisible magical barrier that surrounded the whole apartment. He let out a silence smile.

Lucius knew he should be jealous of Severus for earning most of his little minx's trust, but he found himself he couldn't. They have been loyal to one another even before he'd realised he had feelings for Claire. And part of him felt a sense of relief to know that if he could trust Claire with any men,it would be Severus.

A soft cough broke the silence of the sitting room. Lucius turned around and came face to face with the still red faced Muggle dotted in a Sytherin green turtle-neck top with black jeans. She wore a red beanie on top of her head.

"Dear Merlin..." Lucius whispered softly. He never left his eyes on her.

"Y-You can stop staring now!" Claire shouted abruptedly at him. She felt so self-conscious standing in the same room with him who won't stopped staring at her.

It was driving her crazy! She was never this self-conscious with a man before. Not even with that bastard Caleb. So why...

Claire blinked her eyes when she saw Lucius offered his hand for her to take. He wore a smile on his handsomely face.

"Shall we?" Claire hesitatingly accepted his offered hand.

Immediately, Lucius brought his lips over to the back of her palm and kissed it softly. His eyes never left hers.

Soon afterwards, the couple Apparante over to the Wizarding World.

AUTUMN in the Wizarding World was almost the same as it was in the Muggle World. However, what made this year's Autumn so special was because it was the reopened of the Hogwarts Quidditch Cup after the end of the Battle.

Everyone, including the Malfoys, were invited to attend the opening ceremony and watched the match between rival Houses, Slytherin and Gryffidor by the new Headmistress of Hogwarts, Minerva McGonagall.

Claire was so in awed with Hogwarts, by the time they'd arrived at Hogwarts Entrance Gates, she didn't realise her hands were still entangled with Lucius'. Not that the Malfoy Patriarch said nor do anything to untangle it.

In fact, he pulled her closer to him as to show off to everyone that she was his.

Unfortunately, someone had noticed their entangled hands when she recognised the tall blonde and the familiar young Muggle beside him and had gasped aloud.

Already forgotten her main purpose for attending the match to cover the story between the famous House Rivals, Rita Skeeter had her eyes set on something that was far more interesting than boring children riding broomsticks.

"Claire!"

The said woman turned her head around at the VIP booth just in time to see Hermione was waving her hands at her few steps away down below at the Alumni Students' Booth. Together with her were her two best friends and one George Weasley.

Claire waved her hands frantically back at them.

"Where's Ginny?"

"She's playingfor the Gryffindor. Both Seeker and Chaser!" Harry shouted, as more people began to gather around them.

"I'll cheer for her then!"

"You're wearing a Slyterin's colour! Bloody traitor!" Ron shouted back.

"Who the hell cares? Besides, I'm wearing a red beanie! I'll cheer for both Houses then!" Claire fought a giggle threatening to escape her lips. Ronald Weasley rolled his eyes at her comment but she did see a smirk on his lips.

Despite she being Lucius' date today and her good relationship with both the men that he hated with great passion, Ronald knew he couldn't include an innocent Muggle with their bad history.

Not to mention, she had hit the arrogant ferret a little while back. It was a good hit too. Any girl who could made Draco Malfoy kissed the ground was an immediate friend, in Ronald Weasley's book. Plus, both his fiancee and sister liked her a lot.

Especially Hermione. She longed to have a sister to look up to. In Claire, Hermione found a big sister who was not only a total Muggle, but she's a Muggle who kicked Malfoy's arse!

Claire was definitely enjoying herself. Her eyes wandered at her surroundings when all the sudden, Luciud held on a glass of something red at her.

"Cheers, Miss Claire."

"Lucius, you know I don't drink anything contained alcohol..."

"Ah yes. However, I do seem to recall that Roselle Iced Tea was your favourite drink."

"You mean, this is..."

"It's not iced. But it doesn't contained any alcoholic either." Lucius raised his glass. "Cheers, Claire."

Clunk! Their glasses clashed.

Claire brought the glass to her lips and devoured the sweet taste of Roselle.

"It's not tea either. What is it?"

Lucius leaned forward closer to her left ear. He pulled the strings of her hair behind her ear and whispered seductively, "It's a secret."

Claire swallowed the drink before focused her attention at the opening ceremony.

Halfway throughout the game, Claire was full heartedly enjoying herself. She cheered, she screamed, she yelled, she even swore loudly when it had been a foul play in the middle of the good game, which caused some of the other VVIPs to glare at her and whispered lowly behind her back.

Lucius on the other hand, had kept his chin high up with every little moment his minx was enjoying herself. Even when the other VVIPs were glaring at her - at them, Lucius sat proudly beside his date.

His minx could do whatever she wishes to do and he would not forbid it. As for the rest of the VVIPs, they could all go to hell for all he cared.

Claire had been in such an exciting mood she didn't even noticed how closed she sat beside Lucius, so close their thighs were literally touching each other. She didn't even noticed how his fingers moved in a small circle on her back. Or how he had leaned closer to her just to smell her hair beneath the red beanie she's wearing.

By the time the match ended, the Gryffidor had won and once again became the title's champion. Ginny Weasley was the star of Gryffidor, with her incredible skills as both Seeker and Chaser.

After the winning ceremony, Claire had asked Lucius if it was possible for them to go to the pitch and meet up with Ginny and the others.

Lucius was reluctant to going, of course. Him being on the losing team and his loyalty and faithfulness to Slyterin had caused him to say no to her. Which, thank Merlin, Claire didn't mind at all. She could always said her congrats to Ginny later.

When it was time for dinner, as the unlikely pair walked side by side heading to wherever the Italian Restaurant Lucius had promised to bring her, there was one thing in Claire's mind the whole time they've been walking all the way to the seating table.

"I wonder what it feels like to be able to fly?"

Lucius stopped on his track of gazing the menu.

"Pardon me, Miss Claire?"

"What? Oh nothing. I was just wondering to myself aloud that's all." She gave him a polite smile.

Lucius put down the menu. "You said what it feels like to be able to fly, Miss Claire." He took her hands in his own. "Are you feeling hungry?"

Claire's eyes grew widened. Surely he's not serious! Very slowly, Claire shook her head.

That was all the answer he needed to hear.

Turning to speak with the waiter in Italian, Lucius grabbed her hand and out of the restaurant within seconds.

"Are you sure it's safe, Lucius?"

"Yes, my dear. For the last time, it is practically safe. Moreover, don't you trust me?" Lucius asked, to which Claire nodded her head rapidly.

She trust him all right. She just didn't trust herself NOT to slip and then fell five hundreds feet above the ground!

Claire still couldn't believe that she was flying on a broomstick, holding onto Lucius' back for dear life as he moved swiftly into the clouds, and let the moon's light shimmered above them.

"Flying on a broomstick is like a Muggle version of driving a car," Lucius explained. "You need to be able to focus. However, unlike driving a car, you don't need to worry about having to crush to another here as not many Wizard or Witches choose to use broomsticks as their choice of transportation."

"I have no doubt about that!" Claire shouted. As scared of her at the moment, she was thrilled to be way up there in the endless diamond sky with unbelieveable sight and indescrible feeling she's felt at the moment.

It felt like a whole new world.

Lucius chuckled deeply. "Hang on tight. We're going to land."

Claire tightened her grip on his torso. She yelped as Lucius moved the broom downwards until it was few feet above the ground, before he made a quick, skillful maneuver to land on the ground.

Lucius helped his little minx get off the broom. Claire still felt like she was floating. Her cheeks were pinkish due to being hit by the cold air, her beanie was slightly out of the place with a few dried leaves got stuck on it, her eyes were glowing brighteningly.

To Lucius, she looked absolutely adorable.

She looked up at him with the same glow in her eyes and smiled beamily at him. It made his heart beat slightly faster than it already was.

Offering his hand for her to take, they both began making their way back home.

THE couple apparated back home at 10 o'clock sharp. They took their time by strolling down the empty park, hand on hand. Claire found that for the first time, she didn't mind having her hand held by Lucius. She was too much in a good mood after all.

Who would have thought her "second" date with Lucius Malfoy would be so much fun? Who would have thought Lucius Malfoy even knows how to have fun? She certainly didn't.

They finally reached at the front porch of the apartment.

Claire turned, smiling at Lucius. "Thank you for today. It was a lot of fun. I honestly didn't expect it at all!"

"I'll take it this date is more than just a "tolerable" date, unlike the last one?"

Claire chuckled. It amused to see how he could still remember what she'd said to him on the night of their first "date". That her first impression of their so called date was tolerable than unexpected.

Suddenly, as if she just realised that she had just spent the entire day with the least man she'd thought of being with after that incident, and how their hands still entangled with each other, shyness slowly making it's way from her neck to her cheeks.

Claire avoided looking into his beautiful grey eyes.

"I had a fun time as well." Lucius' voiced softly. He brushed the strings of her bangs to the side.

Claire looked up and instantly found herself lost for the very first time in his grey orbs.

It was like she was seeing him for the first time as a man, instead of her friend, housemate and even a Malfoy. She was seeing him as the man that he was.

For the first time,Claire felt something - a magnetic attraction - toward Lucius Malfoy. It scared her but at the same time it intrigued her endlessly.

Would she be bold enough? Would she be daring enough to do something about it? Would he allows her to do it?

Claire decided to test the water. Slowly, her hands reached out to his face. Lucius didn't move when her fingers touched his strong jaws. He simply watched her.

When she began to grow comfortable and confidence in what she was doing; touching his cheeks with her fingers, teasing him, Claire let a small smile.

Slowly, her hands moved from his cheeks to his smoothy blonde locks, and finally to the back of his head.

Claire moved closer to him,while pushing his head down to meet her halfway.

Peck. She gave him a peck on his left cheek.

Lucius shut his eyes. Savouring her lips on his skin. He felt her backed away, before once again he felt her pushed his head down, and landed another peck on his right cheek.

Lucius inhaled deeply, eyes still closed. Again, he felt her backed away. He heard her took a deep breath before she brought his head down once again and-

Their lips met in a slow soft kiss.

Claire wrapped her arms around his neck as their kiss turned more passionate. All the while, Lucius kept his hands off her and to his side.

He was giving her a total control of the situation, something that he'd never done before in the past. His left hand only touched briefly of her arms, but still, he kept his hands off her, fearing once he did, it would be extremely hard for him to let her go.

Claire could feel his heart beating fast. Or was it hers? She knew the clouds were covering the moon even with her eyes closed.

How long had they been kissing? She should pulled away, but the more the thoughts of pulling away from him, the more she wanted to kiss him.

God, I'm so confused.. Lucius was kissing me so tenderly. It felt so much different than that time..

Pulling away only when they both needed air to breath, Claire's face was beetroot red. She was breathing hard, trying to catch up with her lack of oxygen. Lucius was breathing hard too, but his was more controllig than hers.

He pulled her into his strong arms and simply held onto her, like an irreplaceable prized treasure.

"Claire.." He looked at her, eyes filled with so much love just for her. He pulled her even closer to him.

For the first time, Lucius Malfoy finally knows what Heaven tasted like.