"You're welcome." In an impulsive movement he placed his hand over hers.

She stared at their hands smiling. So maybe things could be fixed. An idea suddenly entered her mind and feigning exhaustion she yawned and curled up against his side, trying not to grin and give her self away. She was shocked when he moved his arm to drape it across her shoulders.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

Chapter 9-Better

Hermione woke to the strong smell of Malfoy. She breathed it in deeply a couple times before she realized that her pillow was moving. She jerked her head up to find one Malfoy senior gazing down at her with an amused look on his face. She blushed and looked away.

"I've never seen some one breathe so deeply when waking up. Did you have a dream you were suffocating?"

Hermione's blush deepened. "No, I-" She quickly shut her mouth.

"Yes?"

"Nothing." She mumbled, sitting up.

With a quick glance around she discovered they had fallen asleep on the couch. She grinned, she had spent the night by his side. Suddenly she frowned. Since when had she fancied Malfoy? She hadn't even thought of him as anything more than a low-down-dirty-rotten-sick-torturous-jerk-faced-dastard-of-a-Death-Eater until she had found out he was "her" Death Eater. What was that all about?

"Granger, what would you like to do today?"

"I'd like to do something for you."

His lovely eyebrows shot upwards. "Oh?"

"In return for saving me, what ever you want."

As she continued taking Lucius mentally cursed himself, it's Granger for god's sakes, her mind doesn't even know where the gutter is, much less how to get in it. There was a pause after she spoke, Lucius was deciding how to best let his soft side out. Ah.

"I simply would like to spend the day with you."

Hermione gaped at him for a second before shutting her mouth and nodding. "Okay Malfoy."

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They spent their morning reading and when the rumbles of both their stomachs got too loud to stand Hermione told him she'd make him breakfast. He slowly followed her into the kitchen, admiring her small figure, one so much more modest than his wife's had been. He sat in a chair off the island to watch her cook, and she had to admit, she didn't mind the company.

He watched her with amusement, talking to her every so often. Occasionally she would mumble something to herself as she cooked and if he could hear it, it usually made him smile. He almost felt like he was in a daze, he barely noticed what he was eating at first but when he tasted the food he paid more attention. It was simply delicious!

When they were done Hermione set the dishes to cleaning themselves and they decided to walk in his back court yard, so she followed him out. Despite being big, it was gorgeous with bright colors and exotic plants. Hermione almost asked how before she smacked herself on the forehead.

"Magic moderated climate, duh!"

Lucius laughed. "Very good. You know I'm starting to believe that you really are the brightest witch of your age."

"Haha, very funny, Malfoy. You are the one who flinched when they called me a know it all."

He winced. "You're not a know it all, just very intelligent."

She noticed he was standing rather close to her and her breathing hitched. "Is that so?"

"Mm-hm."

He chose that moment to lean in and touch his lips to hers again. Slowly, Hermione parted her lips and this time Lucius carefully ran his tongue across her bottom lip and then slowly sought entry, as if she was a deer he might scare away. When she opened her mouth even farther, he could sense how eager she was. He began to let his own feelings seep in and the kiss became ever so slightly more passionate, his tongue searching every corner of her mouth. She tasted slightly of the honey that had been in their food and her own unique flavour.

He left the kiss dragging his teeth along her bottom lip and then trailed light kisses up her jaw to her earlobe. His teeth nipped her ear and the delicate spot behind it. His mouth trailed down her neck and when he reached where her neck and shoulder met she drew in a sharp breath. Curios, he nipped at the spot and her clutch on his cloak tightened as she gasped. He smirked, having found one of her sensitive spots. He kissed it one more time before continuing his downward exploration. He flicked his tongue over the hollow at the base of her throat and got a similar reaction.

He moved his hands from her cheeks to her back and pulled her flush with his body, dragging his mouth back to hers. She moaned when his tongue clashed with hers and he felt a tightening in his groin. She slowly began to move her mouth with his finding a rhythm that made his head spin. He moved his hands from her back to the back of her thighs and lifted her to wrap her legs around him and backed her against the nearest tree. Nipping at her sensitive spots then flicking his tongue over them he provoked another moan from her and he began to lift up the bottom of her shirt.

"Father!"