AN- i am SO SO SORRY! life happens, and i know i use that as an excuse all the time, but it did and im SO sorry if my writing style has changed, or this chapter isnt satisfactory, but i HAD to get it in before the New Year at least. this chapter is mostly pointless flirting, seriously, im not to sure if i like all the flirting but hey, what can you do. So, i hope you find this chapter not fickle at all and just funny, how it is supposed to be.

And life continued. Hermione's days were filled with conferences, cocktail parties, making nice, laying down the law, and endless amounts of parchment.

Not forgetting about her predicaments at home. Lucius was apparently, everywhere. At work, he came up in meetings, articles, issues, her staff, not to mention physical presence.

Then at home, well, it was, for a fact, his house. And he lived there. And so did Draco, being his son. And, as Draco was his son, he bore some resemblance of him. And you were very liable to come across Lucius, for some reason whenever you happened to think about him. This was very distracting. And now, as she sat in her room, she must confess to herself.

Of course, this would take some time in doing. It was a large affair, and must be treated with grandeur. And awe, not to mention a touch of confusion.

Sitting sideways in her chair, Hermione looked at the flames burning happily in her fireplace. Sighing, she began the subconsciously prepared speech.

"This is preying on my mind." She said to no one, "and as much as I hate to admit it, I think I have a…a big girl crush on him."

Despite the flames, Hermione suddenly felt cold. She had a thing for Lucius Malfoy. This was berserk, I mean…him!? Of all people.

But...of all people. Sure they started out rocky…okay, so they really detested each other, as in 'die and go to hell', but now…

Now they laughed together. They fought together, well not real fighting, Lucius just thought it was amusing. They LIVED together, for pities' sakes!

And he was comforting, intelligent, caring, dignified. Attractive.

At that, Hermione started to grin uncontrollably and covered her face in her hands, laughing. This really was surreal. As she squeezed her eyes shut behind her fingers, she was instantly presented with his gorgeous tresses, aristocratic face, broad shoulders…

She screamed and thrashed a bit before falling out of her chair with a rather hard thud.

"Ow!" she replaced herself on the chair and started to giggle again. But that description was…

Okay! This is serious. No more giggling. Okay maybe a little. Done! Hermione made an exaggerated focused face.

So she had a big girl crush on her friend's dad. No big deal. Except he was completely famous, rich and she lived with him. Okay, big deal. Not to mention the fact that she was an adult now, and that did considerably alter things.

Oh, this really was not good. Well, it was just some random feeling. It would pass, of course. All she had to do was keep it inside. And then, no one would know, so it couldn't get out! Especially if this was just a passing thing.

Right. Well, now that that was settled, she was off to dinner. As she stepped out of her door to shut it, she turned around.

"Hello, Hermione."

Hermione shrieked and pushed through her door violently. Once inside she tripped over her own feet and collapsed on the floor, laughing hysterically.

Lucius, meanwhile, raised his eyebrows and turned to retreat back down the hallway. Thinking better of it, he turned back to Hermione's room. Gently pushing on the door, it swung open, and his eyebrow cocked again at seeing Hermione on the floor, laughing her head off.

"Hermione, what on earth are you doing?" he asked bemusedly.

She continued to laugh. "Is it something I've done?"

Hermione sputtered. Lucius sighed dramatically, then crouched, holding his hand out to her. Still giggling madly, she took it and he helped her up. "I'm- I'm sorry," she began, "I just can't stop-"

"That's alright." Lucius said. "Quite alright, but what brought this on?"

"You- you wouldn't you totally wouldn't understand!" she gasped.

"Can you walk?" He asked her, an amused tremor in his voice.

"I think so." Hermione said, gasping for breath. Lucius, still smiling at her like she was insane, slowly let her hand go, as if afraid she would fall as soon as he released her.

This may have been the case, but Hermione's mind started on a tangent about how he didn't want to let go. This would have to stop or she would wind up on the floor again.

PAGE BREAK

The next morning, Hermione skipped down the stairs at breakfast and walked through the door, expecting to see the Malfoy men speaking or arguing rapidly, but was shocked by seeing an immensely gleeful Draco and an infuriated Lucius.

Slowly, she continued to her chair, sitting and gracefully picking up her knife. Lucius finally started to make conversation, albeit an icy one, when something terrible happened.

For Hermione, anyway.

"Damn, I've got to plait my hair."

If Lucius hadn't been so wind and snow this morning, Hermione would have laughed. But it wasn't as if Lucius didn't have the means to do it himself. He had a wand.

But…there was no movement to retrieve it from wherever he happened to be concealing it that day. Hermione had to ask. "Lucius, why don't you just use your wand?"

"Because that THING down there stole it."

Draco laughed gleefully. "That THING down here is the fruit of your-"

"Don't say it!" Lucius delicately supported his forehead.

"But, Draco, how did you get his-"

"Never you mind." Lucius said, glaring at Draco. "And it always looks horrible when I do it…Hermione, I hate to ask, but would you do it for me?"

"Oh, um, okay." Hermione stood. This was definitely what she needed right now, to play with his hair. Now she would be giddy ALL day. Little butterflies of giddiness were already spreading through her stomach. Moving to stand behind him, she could not have been any more aware of their proximity. "Um, how do you want it?"

Draco exploded into laughter. "How do you want it!"

Hermione blushed. "SHUT UP!"

Lucius ignored his son. "I don't know-."

Draco sniggered. "That's a first."

"I don't know what you mean." He finished.

"Well, like, a normal braid, or a French braid?"

Lucius looked thoughtful. "I have no idea…I suppose a French braid."

"French is always best?" Draco said, innocently.

Inside, Hermione was berating herself for giving him an option. Now she actually had to touch his head. Hesitantly at first, she placed her fingers on his temples and quickly swept his hair away from his forehead.

Draco was watching her every move, so it wasn't as if she could express that how his hair felt completely equaled how his hair looked. It was so shiny and silky and it actually had some weight to it. It didn't even get those self-knots! (you know, where your hair makes its own knots?)

Swiftly sweeping it back, Hermione deftly interwove the strands of gleaming blond hair. Finally finishing (all too soon, one might have said,) she asked "Do you have an elastic or a ribbon?"

Draco brought a wand out of nowhere and spun it in his fingers. Squinting a little, he shot a stream of black satin at the braid. Making small swishing noises as it went, the ribbon tied itself neatly around Hermione's handiwork.

Draco raised an eyebrow appreciatively. A small hand mirror was shot across the table. Hermione resumed her seat, stealing a glance at Lucius. She was nervous as hell, and he also looked absolutely fabulous, if she did say so herself. Her fingers were tingling, as if they were missing the glossy locks.

Lucius was appraising himself in the mirror, taking his sweet time, if you asked Hermione. While Lucius did like to be thorough, he was also probably doing this to make Hermione edgy. It was working.

"Well, Hermione," Lucius said, fighting a grin as best as he could, "I must say that this looks rather nice, actually."

"Would you like me to put some flowers in it, father?" Draco asked sweetly.

"Don't push your luck." Lucius said icily. "Thank you, Hermione, it looks marvelous."

"You're welcome." Hermione said, smiling. Draco thought it was…intriguing that she happened to color a bit. He kept to himself.

Standing, Draco groaned like it took so much effort, and said "Well, I'm off." He began to head out the door and Lucius stood. "Oh, here, Father." He lightly tossed a dark strip of wood to his father, who sneered mightily. Grinning at Hermione, smirking at Lucius, he departed for work.

PAGE BREAK

Hermione was sitting at her desk, writing (again) when an oh-so-familiar voice seemed to drift past her ears. Shaking her head with an all too pleased grin, Hermione reprimanded herself. Now she was hearing him when he wasn't-

There it was again.

Hermione cautiously stuck her head out of her office door. There he was, back to her, hair in its neat braid. He was talking animatedly to Minna, one of the girls from records, who had just been in to bring some things to Hermione.

Hermione leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, grinning at his glistening hair. Minna laughed slightly at something, and then Hermione walked forward.

"I thought I told you never to come to my office again."

"Why, hello, Hermione. We were just talking about my hair, the way it has been dressed today. Miss Folke had said that she thought it looked lovely." Lucius smiled a very crafty smile.

"Ah." Somewhere in her brain the idea of saying that she was the one who braided it presented itself, but that would lead to awkward questions. So Hermione settled for sending him some daggers via her eyes. Once more, he seemed to become elated. This time however, she let it wash over her.

Realizing this, Lucius smirked and turned back to Minna. Hermione walked up to stand next to him, neatly saying something before he could. "Thank you, Minna, I think that you need not be harassed any longer."

Minna dutifully reigned in her smile, nodded to Hermione and Lucius, and departed.

"I wasn't harassing her."

"Oh?" Hermione said, smiling a very angular smile and leaning back onto one of the desks.

"You really do know how to play nice, now don't you?"

"Huh." Hermione fought a grin. "Why are you here?"

Lucius raised his eyebrows in mock innocence. "Now, Hermione, I was here on my own business."

"What business is that?"

"You sound like my wife." Lucius said. Hermione suddenly felt VERY self conscious. "I was here to ask the magical visa department a question."

"Oh?" she said, laughing a little and motioning him into her office. "Planning on running away any time soon?"

"No, it was for Draco, actually."

Hermione blinked. This was new. "Well, in any case. Do you want something to drink?"

"No, no, I wont stay but a moment. I can see you are busy."

"Alright, then."

"I suppose I shall see you at dinner, then, Hermione."

PAGE BREAK

Later that day…

Draco knocked on her door. Hermione looked up, then smiled. "Ah, the second Malfoy."

"Was Father here earlier?" Draco asked, ambling inside the office, hands in his pockets. "Nice office."

"Thank you and yes."

"I am dreadfully sorry. May I talk to you for a second?"

"Sure, have a seat."

"I know that you have only seen Gabrielle once for dinner, and I know that she is coming again soon, but…"

"But…" Hermione wheedled.

"Well…" Draco stared at her desk. "I just…I really, really like her. A lot. A lot a lot."

"Aw!"

"Shove off. I mean, I know she is rather fond of me…"

"You cant bring yourself to say it!" Hermione said, teasingly.

"Say what?"

"That she really, really likes you, a lot a lot a lot a lot." Hermione said, grinning cheerily.

"That's one too many a lots."

"Whatever."

Draco grinned. "Well, yeah."

"What do you need." Hermione said.

"I just…I don't know. She wants to expand her horizons, I suppose would be the phrase, and I don't know how to get it…no. Okay, I guess what I'm meaning to say is that…things are getting serious. She loves Father and she loves you-"

"When do I come into this?"

Draco looked thoughtful. "I don't know, really. I guess you are a regular member of the Malfoy household, so you matter. But in any case, she likes you."

"Aw!"

"Quit being a girl!"

"I can't help it!"

"…Sorry."

"I know. So things are getting serious?"

"Well, yes."

"And this makes you uncomfortable?"

"Well…yeah!" Draco ran his hands through his hair. "Things are going so fast…and I have never ever felt so seriously about someone before. Its…weird."

"Well, maybe this is good. I know that she thinks you are all that and a little extra."

"Does she?" Draco smiled at her lopsidedly.

"Yes. And I think you have nothing to worry about. She's coming to lunch in what, a few days?"

"That's true."

"Just go back to your office. And take her picture out of the left hand drawer of your desk. She isn't a secret."

"How did you know?!" Draco gaped at her.

Hermione smirked at him. Draco threw up his hands and left.

PAGE BREAK

Later that evening, Hermione stopped by Draco's desk, smiling. Draco himself was lost in thought, staring at small frame, containing a picture of Gabrielle, beaming, hair fluttering slightly in the picture's breeze.

"Don't be late for dinner, Draco!" Hermione said.

Draco looked up, small smile vanishing as he realized he was caught. "Yes, o secret seer!" He said, rising.

Hermione smiled cheekily and apparated away.

PAGE BREAK

A few days later, that Saturday, Gabrielle was visiting for lunch (she had a family gathering that evening).

Their lunch had been quite pleasant, and they had adjourned to the library for a rescheduled drink. Draco had begged them to excuse him for a moment, and they did.

Naturally, they took this opportunity to talk about him.

"Well, Gabrielle, now how is it you have come to so dote upon my horrid son?" Lucius was still sore about his wand.

The petite girl giggled and said "I have no idea. It just happened."

"Surely there must be something that I can use against him! Tell you embarrassing stories…something must annoy you!"

Hermione exploded into a fit of silent giggles, which Lucius did not fail to notice and he could not hide the tiny smile. Gabrielle laughed a little. "Well, I don't know…I cant think of anything right now…"

"Doesn't he have any interesting habits or something?" Hermione said, bemused.

"Not you too!" Gabrielle laughed.

"Come now," Hermione teased, "you wouldn't think that I would miss out on my chance to harass Draco, would you?"

"Alright…I suppose I would like to hear a story or two about Draco. Let me think."

The room lapsed into silence, Hermione staring at Gabrielle and grinning, Lucius stood up and put his hands on his desk.

Finally, Gabrielle said "Well…this isn't so much annoying as it is sweet…he always has his hands in his pockets."

"Ah." Lucius walked over to the window. "That, I believe he got from me. My hands never used to be visible when I was younger."

Hermione grinned at Gabrielle, nodding towards his hands, which were buried in his pockets. "Maybe you aren't as old as you thought." She said tactfully.

Lucius turned, looked at her, at his hands, then back at her, the corners of his mouth turned up in utter amusement.

PAGE BREAK

Later that next week, there was another function for the Order, and Hermione was exhausted. People understood, thankfully. Either that or no one liked her anymore. In any case…they had all congregated in the main parlor of Grimmauld place.

Hermione merely sat and stared at nothing in particular. She heard the mumblings and conversations going on around her with half an ear, not that it mattered; no one was talking to her. In effect, she zoned, looking in the general direction of the side table-slash-bar.

Lucius got up, leaving Hestia Jones and Lupin to talk without him for a moment while he got a drink. Turning slightly, glass in hand, he surveyed the room. One small cluster, two, and...Hermione, all by herself, sitting in an armchair, staring in the general direction of...

Lucius' eyes flashed wide, and even faster returned to normal. He couldn't fight a smile, it was pointless.

Hermione, meanwhile, had picked up the sense that someone was staring at her. She blinked and lazily looked up at Lucius' face. His wry smile tugged one corner of his mouth up, he cocked one eyebrow. Lucius was weird. Having come to that conclusion, Hermione returned to staring at the point she had been until she was so oddly interrupted. Realization dawned on her.

Hermione straightened slowly, looking back at his face, shaking her head whispering "No, no, no! NO! No, but I wasn't!" He full on grinned while her face sort of collapsed on itself, flushing. "No!"

Lucius started to laugh. He just couldn't help himself. It was so ridiculous! Sitting, Hestia and Remus looked at him a little oddly. "What's the matter?" Remus asked quizzically, almost laughing himself.

"Nothing- Its nothing." he attempted to regain control of his face and couldn't. Laughing again, he looked at Hermione, who was cradling her very red face in her hands moaning softly to herself. Remus and Hestia turned towards her too, not understanding at all.
Absolutely mortified, Hermione squeezed her eyes shut. This was SO embarrassing! Nobody else might've seen, but SHE knew, and that was enough. She had been staring at Lucius Malfoy's arse.

And she couldn't even remember what it looked like.

PAGE BREAK

As soon as they walked into the front door, Lucius smiled wryly at her then bade them both good night. Hermione was still so flustered that she couldn't look at him on the way over and was constantly blushing. She shrieked after him "IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!"

Unfortunately for her, Draco was still standing next to Hermione.

"What was an accident?"

Hermione froze. She had been doing that a lot lately. Slowly she turned to Draco, who was smiling at her. "Nothing." Was the relatively normal response.

Draco smirked. "Uh huh. What did you do?"

"Nothing!" Hermione took off down the hall.

"Very discreet," Draco said, not very far behind her.

"Draco, it was nothing!"

"Yes it was!"

"No it wasn't!"

"If I guess will you tell me?"

"Shut up!"

"Did you two make out?"

Hermione choked a little. "No! We- it was- NO!"

"That isn't accidental, you're right. Um, did you OH I KNOW! You fell, and touched some part of his body!"

"NO!" they were still clipping along the hallway, Hermione trying to get to her room, Draco making this very difficult. "Why are you so intent on thinking that this nothing has to do with THAT?"

"It has to be to make you this upset and have him be this jovial, the dirty old man…were you checking him out?"

"IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!"

"Hermione, you are WAAAY too easy. WAIT!!! YOU WERE CHECKING OUT MY DAD?"

"EW! NO, it was an accident! IM SORRY!!!"

"THAT'S SO WEIRD!"

"STOP ACTING LIKE A CHILD!!"

"IM NOT!"

"Well…it's not like people haven't done it before! How do you think you got created!"

"…THAT'S DISGUSTING!"

"STOP YELLING AT ME!"

"SORRY, BUT THIS IS A LITTLE WEIRD!"

"YOU THINK IT ISNT FOR ME?! It was an accident!"

"Fine." There was a lull as they stood in the hall, facing one another. "…just one question."

"What?"

"…what were you looking at?"

"SHUT UP!" Hermione whirled into her bedroom.

PAGE BREAK

After that utter embarrassment, Hermione really felt like running away, and instead of going down for breakfast, called for Flopsy.

"Yes Miss Hermione?" Flopsy inquired in her high-pitched voice.

Hermione turned from looking out the window to look at her small friend. "Can you just quickly bring me something to eat? And don't tell Mr. Malfoy!"

"Yes, Miss Hermione!" With a small pop, Flopsy vanished.

Hermione, for some reason, blushed again and whirled back to the window. Only moments later, Flopsy was back, a small tray in her hands. An apple filled pastry and a cup of coffee sat on the tray, and Hermione had to smile at the teensy vase with one small violet peeking out. "Breakfast for you!" Flopsy squeaked cheerily.

"Thank you so much, Flopsy."

Flopsy beamed and popped away. Hermione quickly walked over to the ottoman in front of the fireplace where the elf had deposited the tray. Picking up the plate, she bit into the pastry, and then replaced the plate with the saucer and sipped from her coffee. Pausing thoughtfully, she put the saucer back down, and grabbed her briefcase.

Hurrying down the stairs, she took a deep breath and walked quickly past the dining room door and out into the sunshine, apparating away. It was good she made such a clean escape, if she had stayed outside a moment longer, she would have heard Lucius' uproarious laughter.

PAGE BREAK

Hurrying through the main office of her department and groaning loudly as she passed Sandy's desk, Hermione made a beeline for her office. Grinning, Sandy followed her. "Problems, boss?"

"I feel like a fool." she stormed.

"Why is that?" He asked, falling into one of the seats.

Hermione distractedly perched in her own chair. "Because...oh..."

"What happened." It wasn't a question.

"Those boys are ridiculous!" Hermione snapped.

Sandy arched an eyebrow. "What boys?"

"Oh, Sandy, it's a dreadful secret...promise not to tell?"

"Cross my heart." Sandy said, mock seriously.

"To escape pitying eyes after my break up with Ron I moved to the Malfoy's house. No one knows except the Lupins."

"So that's why they come in here all the time!" Sandy said. "Ah yes. Now, please, continue your story of woe."

"Yesterday I made a bit of an accident, and now both of them are unrelentingly making fun of me. I really didn't feel like doing that this morning so I ate in my room and came straight here. Now I've only set myself up!"

"Oh, poor you." Sandy said sympathetically. As soon as the words escaped his mouth, a rather malevolent black-clad figure appeared in the doorway, smirking as mightily as he had in his school days.

Hermione looked up, and seeing Draco in her doorway, gasped and stood up right away. "Draco!"

"Hello, Hermione. I missed seeing you at breakfast."

"Draco! Get out of my office!" Hermione shrieked. Sandy stood up discreetly and Draco merely advanced.

"Oh, but Hermione, there was so much I needed to tell you this morning."

"Don't you have a job to be doing?" she said crossly.

"Well yes, if you are so terribly busy I suppose I can leave...oh, but I should tell you, Father plans on making a visit later today."

"What?!" Hermione flapped her arms instantly in an outrage.

"Yes, I am planning on visiting you later today."

All three sets of eyes flew to the door, where the elder Malfoy was standing.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!?" She screeched.

Sandy slid towards the door. Obviously his boss could handle this on her own.

"Well, Hermione, your absence at breakfast gave us quite a scare. We interrogated Flopsy, of course, you go to her for everything-"

"You didn't!" she gasped.

"No, we didn't." Lucius said cheerily.

"You are vile!" Hermione tossed at him, Draco snickering with laughter.

Lucius gave her a look suggesting pent up desire and said "Is that so?"

Hermione dropped her mouth open in shock. Draco exploded into laughter as his father snickered. "You…you insufferable thing! It was an accident! You cannot possibly tease me forever! Aggravating! I have no idea why you think this is so funny!"

"My dear, you are the one who started it."

"I DIDN'T START ANYTHING!"

"Yes you did."

"No I didn't!"

"Yes you did."

"No I- GET OUT OF MY OFFICE!"

"Hermione-" Draco tried to intervene, while his father positively beamed in an infuriating manner.

"OUT, BEFORE I START TO THROW THINGS!"

Draco slid around his father and ducked out the door. Lucius turned and when he was safely in the hallway, looked at her and said "Oh, and by the way," Hermione looked at him, seething, "You look ravishing in plum."

Hermione, sufficiently caught off guard, merely opened her mouth, frozen, as he jovially made his way back through the main office. With a groan, Hermione fell into her chair.

"So, boss…"

"Sandyyyyy…" Hermione moaned.

"He is right you know. You look absolutely smashing in those robes."

"Sandy… get me something for a headache."

"Anything to get me out of your hair, boss."

WHEW! okay, to make up for the AGES that i didnt update, this was, i think, longer than usual. if you thought this chapter was too crazy or something, i SWEAR the next chapter (which should be up in the next week, promise!) will have more of a plot to it. i just had to have them do this. it was mandatory.

so yeah, Merry belated Christmas and Happy New Year! and im sorry it took so long, i hope i havent lost anyone's interest!